Outside
by MJavid
Summary: In which her life-based game became their game-based lives. (M.C.xRFA Friendship; light, dramatic and hopefully funny, too.)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I have typed, erased, and re-typed this for too many times now; I really have no idea how to start this. I am fairly new to writing, this would be my first fanfic for my twenty-one years of living (though I have read LOTS); the last story that I have written ended up missing eleven years ago. Please be kind to me. My fingers are shaking right now.

Kindly forgive any wrong grammar and inadequate information that you may or may not encounter in the story. I am not actually fond of research. I will warn you now that this story will not rely too much on facts and such. Events that will happen here are based on real life situations (Mix of mine, my friend's and others), so I apologize in advance if it may seem boring. Let's just say that this is a diary of sorts.

Also, story may contain spoilers. Rated T for language

Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** (I have seen many authors do this here.) Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the story line. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _This fanfic is dedicated to my friend, who spends the good of her day playing Mystic Messenger. May you have the guts to just finally go out on a real date._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: In which a very long Prologue is eventually turned into Chapter One**_

* * *

 _It is official, my life is over. Damn this game!_

… _Only for a little while. I already made it this far…_

 _I can't wait anymore. That is it! I'm going to sleep._

 _But no! Almost 100% for the day…_

 _Oh...but this pillow is really soft…_

 _No! I need those hearts!_

That is the recent argument that happens inside the mind of Mariel Cecilie ever since she downloaded the " _blasted app_ ", as she currently calls it. She sighed and got up to awaken her already hazy mind. She rubbed her eyes and carefully navigated her way through the room with measured steps. It is fifteen past midnight, if anyone were to wake up now and see her _not sleeping_ , she would get an earful for sure. She has her apprenticeship work early tomorrow, thus she should savor the wee hours to just get some rest already, as Jaehee would probably say.

But no.

She just had to play that game.

 _Stupid OCD. Stupid hourglass. It just mocks me._

Finally making her way through her sleeping relatives, she went through the door and closed it carefully. The heat outside her parent's air-conditioned room is still too warm to be comfortable. It is that time of the month where the summer season is transitioning to the rainy season, thus the uncomfortable weather. The rain two hours ago was heavy but a short one, which led to even warmer interiors. M.C.'s parents insisted on just sleeping in their room altogether to save energy—their room was the only one with a split-type ACU in the house so there were no complaints (aside from her father's snoring).

M.C. went to the kitchen and got herself a cold glass of water, in hopes of waking herself up. She sat down in one of the dining chairs and sighed for the nth time that night. She checked her phone. _12:17 Am. Twenty-one more minutes to go. Hurrah._

Sleeping late (or in her case, early morning) would not have been a problem if it weren't for the matter that she has to wake up at five in the morning later on. _Really, why do I even bother?_

M.C. knew from the start that downloading that game was a bad idea. She easily gets distracted, and being distracted is not something that she can afford to do right now. Her apprenticeship just started a few days ago, and not to mention her upcoming thesis for the next semester. Staring at her phone would not really help her eyes, especially when they are already strained from being used at work to browse through architectural and engineering plans. And of course there is the issue of time management. Really, sleep is always a must, especially for the profession that she wants to pursue. Every second of the clock always counts.

But oh. It was just that tempting. Like Elizabeth the 3rd to Jumin kind of tempting.

She finally got a new phone two weeks ago due to her mother's decision of changing their applied Plan in Sun Cellular Telecommunications. M.C. is not really blinded by such frivolous objects, but there is always a sense of excitement for her whenever she gets to receive anything new or unexpected. She rarely asks for anything, especially when she deems it unnecessary.

So when the phone came, M.C. went to the Play Store right away to download a few applications that she would need—paint app, dictionary, fanfic reader, messenger, music player, k9 keyboard—all necessary applications, enough to satisfy her needs and boredom.

But then _the blasted app_ was there in the _Recommended For You_ section. M.C., being an avid anime fan, instantly got curious. But there were numerous sides to M.C.'s personality, there was _avid otaku_ and another was _mother hen_.

Thus another internal argument.

 _Ohhh it's like a dating game!_

 _Oh no. I think I am too old for that…_

… _But the graphics though…_

 _No! Memory's too heavy. Phone will slow down._

 _Then again, I have been thinking of buying a new memory card…_

And so on.

Mystic Messenger got installed, uninstalled, and installed again for several times in M.C.'s phone. Now she is on her fifth try, beginning the Fourth Day. _If only 12:38 Am would come faster._

 _Why is time always like this? Steadfast when there are deadlines, real slow when there is a need to wait. Oh great, now I'm blaming time. Real mature. Next I'll be blaming this stupid glass for having water—that is not cold anymore! I just got this from the fridge!_

 _I just called a glass of water 'stupid'. Damn. I really need to get some shut eye._

This is one of the reasons why she doesn't want to play games. Whenever she gets interested in anything, she always gives it her best and everything. Some would call it _passionate_ , M.C. sees it as _too intense._ Studying is already a chore for her, what more if games were involved? As she told one of her friends who wanted to lend her his controller for _Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Storm 4_ ; "If I were to play all the games that you recommended to me, you probably wouldn't see me at class anymore. It will be bye-bye school." Safe to say, she can relate to Yoosung's LOLOL addiction very well.

 _I haven't even made it to the end yet. Heck, I still haven't gotten to anyone's route. Should I just stop this? It is way too time consuming…_

M.C. debated with herself as she waited for time to pass. Maybe letting go of the game would be the right thing to do. She has poor internet connection outside of her house, and already spent too much time on the game. If this continues on, she will end up with having work that is half-done. And she cannot have that.

 _12:37 Am._

 _Meh. It is still vacation anyway! I'll stop when the first semester comes near. Let's do this!_

Well, that's one argument settled.

* * *

For all her twenty years of life, M.C. never had a boyfriend. She claims to her friends that she has ten, even showing them pictures just to get off of their teasing. She had good-looking guy friends though—all of them modest to boot; compared to Zen, at least. Many would consider her lucky. Some would probably already be thinking of the "girl has many guys who to choose from" plot line.

Yeah, well. If that were true in real life, M.C.'s ten boyfriends would not have been a joke after all.

Sadly, that was not the case. Guy friends will be guy friends. Good-looking guy friends are attracted to good-looking ladies, and M.C. ended up being the "not-a-guy friend". She was not attractive, she looked rather plain actually. She has plump cheeks, and a small permanent crease in her brow due to her constant scowling. She has a small scar on her bottom lip due to a childhood accident. Her shoulders are a bit broad and she has larger arms and thighs than most girls. But she has the silkiest of hair and shiniest of teeth, something that she is proud of for being natural. M.C. herself does not think that she is attractive. Which is why she found hanging out with guys easier than most girls, as she believes that there is no amount of sexual tension whatsoever.

Attractive or not, it did not matter to M.C. as she was not really interested in dating. She had loved one though. Probably still did. And it continues to break her heart as of the present. It can be a reason as to why she does not want to engage in such romantic matters.

Which is why Mystic Messenger appealed to her as much. It was a dating game, guys can be easily pleased if you choose the right answer. The Happy Ending is within reach, just choose between the options. Though there are the Bad Endings, but that is still controllable. Unlike real-life relationships. Anything said is interpreted differently by another. She can be satisfied without hurting in the game. Can anyone blame her, really? And what's more, they don't see her, they don't know her…they can't hurt her.

She thinks she would live a normal life. Become an architect. Pursue other arts. Be a painter, next. Probably try photography too, as inspired by V. Of course, save money. Travel. Work some more. Help family. Donate to charity. Retire at forty and spoil herself rotten until she die. As Seven had said, _I'm gonna work hard and die fast. Have no desire to live long lol._ She actually laughed at that and even had the screenshot of the chat bubble in her phone.

But then again, someone as _too_ _intense_ as Mariel Cecilie cannot just live and die that easily.

* * *

As M.C. is drafting floor plans in the midst of her apprenticeship work, she had this sudden thought of _just giving up and surrendering to the dull. It is what she is after all._

After resigning herself to that fate, in that short moment, something clicked…

Because in RFA…

 _707: …_

 _707: Did anybody just felt something weird?_

 _707: …Like being cut off or something?_

 _707: …Hello?_

 _707: OMO I AM ALL ALONE NOW OMFG_

 _ZEN: Stop it, Seven. All the 'ping'-sounds from your messages is making me dizzy…_

 _ZEN: …_

 _Jumin: What had just happened?_

 _Jumin: Are we being hacked?_

 _Jumin: Assistant Kang, contact the chairman's police force. We must get Elizabeth the 3_ _rd_ _to safety_

 _Jaehee: …_

 _Jaehee: Mr. Han, I don't think that is the main concern right now_

 _Jumin: What are you talking about? Elizabeth the 3_ _rd_ _is always the main concern_

 _ZEN: I say not_

 _Yoosung*: Whoa you guys felt it too?_

 _Yoosung*: WAZ IZ HAPPENIN?_

 _Yoosung*: Am late_

 _Yoosung*: Was about to read then BOOM_

 _Jaehee: Read?!_

 _ZEN: Woah for real?_

 _707: Whut_

 _V: Luciel, what was that?_

 _Jumin: It's V._

 _ZEN: V, what are you doing here all of a sudden?_

 _Jaehee: You mentioned just a few hours ago that you would be away on business._

 _Yoosung*: Yeah..._

 _707: !_

 _707: V! HIIIII!_

 _707: Y r u here lololol_

 _707: Wait am still checking plz be patient with meh ma familia_

 _Jumin: What the hell are you saying?_

 _Jumin: V, what is going on?_

 _ZEN: Ohhh._

 _ZEN: Mr. Prim and Proper just cursed._

 _ZEN: Ohhhh._

 _ZEN: Tarnished reputation right there._

 _Jumin: I'm surprised you got 'tarnished' correct_

 _V: Hey everyone_

 _ZEN: Ass._

 _ZEN: Oh_

 _ZEN: Not you, V._

 _Yoosung*: lolololol_

 _707: Guyth_

 _707: Honey, we have a situation_

 _Yoosung*: HONEY?!_

 _V: What situation?_

 _707: I think that_

 _707: We are lost_

 _Yoosung: ?_

 _Jumin: Lost?_

 _Jaehee: What are you talking about?_

 _707: …_

 _V: Luciel…_

 _707: Look up_

 _Yoosung: ) #($%* &!_

 _Jumin: ..._

 _Jaehee: What the…?_

 _ZEN: OH._

* * *

 **A/N:** What happened? Yeah, even I do not know yet. I write as the story comes. So I will apologize early on for the schedule of updates will be random (it can be as quick as the next day, or slow as in a few months). If you are expecting a deep story and a well-planned story line, then I can't say that this is the fanfic that you are looking for. Anyway, please be patient with me.

As with the story itself, I'm trying to build a character for M.C. first before focusing on RFA. I think focusing on M.C. first will give us the chance to understand better her upcoming interaction with the RFA members. This is also meant to be a light read, with bits of humor and probably romance, but more on self-growth and developing friendships, all in all.

Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hello again!

I would like to thank those who had this story in their lists of favorites and follows, and also to those who reviewed. You guys really made my day, and I hope to make yours as well, with this new chapter. Thank you for your support!

And also, I checked the first chapter with another account, and it seemed that Chapter 1 was bold and italicized? Is it true, or is it just my browser? (The characters' thoughts were supposed to be the only ones italicized, and the chapter title, A/N, and Disclaimer are supposed to be the ones in bold characters). It was my first time uploading so I apologize. I only hope the second chapter will be uploaded right.

Thank you!

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: In which the 'blasted app' has unfortunately stopped**_

M.C. bid her goodbyes to the architect and engineer of the project. She waved at the construction workers as she made her way past the site and through the gate. She checked her watch, _Quarter past five. I can still make it before the rush hour._ After a bit of walking, she waved a _jeepney_ and got on.

Work was apparently light for her today. She only had to finish the drafts of the floor plans that she started on the day before. With that done, there was not much to do yet. So she spent the rest of her hours walking around the site and inquiring about what the laborers were doing. Construction still confuses her, but she tries to understand the concepts of it better to help with her upcoming thesis in a few months.

She got off the _jeepney_ , crossed the dreaded overpass and rode a UV heading to terminal for home. M.C. looked at the passing scenery and sighed. Even with the light workload, she still felt exhausted. Commute from the site to home can certainly be tiring. _Not to mention staying up late last night, again._

Speaking of the game.

She suddenly remembered that an hour and a half had passed since she checked Mystic Messenger. She got her phone out and waited for app's the opening theme.

 _Unfortunately, MysticMessenger has stopped._

Oh.

 _Why now?_ M.C. thought as she scrolled through her phone. She has decent internet signal and there are no other applications open in her phone. _Maybe just a glitch._ Just when she was about to open the app again, her phone vibrated.

' _Mommy Sun' calling…_

"Hello Ma? I'm on my way home." She answered. She checked her location, McDonald's sign is within sight; the terminal is near. "I'm about to get off the van."

"Oh good. I need you to fetch Andy's gown from your dorm. She says she needs it repaired and cleaned next week. That child really…how will she live about if she keeps on being dependent on others? Can't take care of herself…" her mother rambled on.

M.C. shook her head at her mother's comments. Andy was her niece, the eldest daughter of her eldest sister. With Andy's mother away to Europe for work, and her father also rarely at home due to his job, Andy and her little sister—Haley—currently lives with M.C. and her parents, along with their aunt Em.

But with M.C. and Andy studying at Manila, Bulacan is a fairly far commute back and forth for every day. So it was decided that they get a dorm unit near their respective universities to save travel time. Their schooldays and weekdays are spent in Manila, and they only get to go home in Bulacan for the weekends and the holidays.

It would have been good and convenient, if only Andy actually knew _how to clean up_. Thus, M.C. was always left cleaning after her niece's messes, leaving her weary all the same. But that is one of her responsibilities, and M.C. always answers to her responsibilities.

But wait. "What? But Ma, I'm already heading for home, right now. There, to Bulacan. Does that mean I have to go to the dorm, right now, just to get the dress? And then head back again?" she asked. The UV already turned right, she would be reaching SM North overpass soon.

Her mother sighed. M.C. heard the whirring noise. Her mother was probably using the sewing machine. _She's probably repairing the curtains again._ "Well…yes. She said she couldn't make it home this week due to her workload at school. She will need the gown for their acquaintance party, or something like that. You could head straight there now, spend the night there, then leave tomorrow morning with the gown. Then take it home after your work." _Whirring of the machine._ "You may as well bring home some of your stuff while you're at it."

M.C. sighed. Well, she had a half-day of work tomorrow anyway. "Alright, fine. She owes me for this."

"SM North?" the driver of the UV asked.

"Yes, please." M.C. answered. "I'm getting off now, Ma. I will call you when I get there."

"Alright, sweetie. Take care on your way."

M.C. hung up and got of the UV. She scratched hear head in annoyance. She really wanted to go home and just rest.

Her work was currently located in Quezon City, which is nearer to Bulacan than Manila. So for the past few weeks, she goes home to her parent's house instead of the dorm, leaving Andy alone in their unit to fend for herself. They might as well look for a new place, since M.C.'s thesis year is coming, she will spend most of her days near her proposed site, which is in Bulacan also. The rent of their current dorm is too expensive for a single person to live by on their own.

She crossed the Sm North overpass and entered Trinoma mall. She might as well get some groceries while she's at it. Who knows what that idiot could be eating?

* * *

V thought he may have done awful things in his past life. _Why else would I fall into these situations?_ Just a few minutes ago, he was enjoying the fresh air at the mountains. One of his acquaintances had asked a favor of a photo of the mountains, a present for his fiancée who loves mountain-climbing. Normally, he would talk his way on scheduling after a week or so, in order to help with the party that was supposed to happen in a week's time.

But he was tired. And he did not want to raise _her_ suspicions on what he is actually doing. So he agreed and left immediately for the mountains, after chatting with RFA. He needed a breather anyway—time to contemplate his decisions, and what he plans to do next.

He had a good view of the hiking paths and was about to capture a shot when _something just happened._ Like waking up after a long sleep.

Whenever there was something unusual, it is usually related with RFA. So he checked his phone in hopes of getting even a decent signal in the mountainous region. He was surprised though, as he got a more-than-decent internet connection and decided to check out the chatroom.

Funny thing, everyone already seemed to be panicking without him. Again. He is always late with these things.

The fresh air was gone. He can't see the blue sky from the corner of his eye. And his sunglasses-covered sight was slightly dimmed—well, dimmer than a few seconds ago.

 _Am I…?_

He looked before Luciel got to tell them to do so.

And he got to see his friends' reactions.

They looked hilarious.

 _I bet I do too, if only I did not have these sunglasses on._

If he wasn't so frazzled by what is happening, he would have laughed. That's how silly they looked. _Oh, if only I had my camera—_

He didn't. Jihyun paled.

* * *

Yoosung never expected his supposed normal day would take a complete one-eighty. The morning started out early with intention of playing more LOLOL. But then Seven had to go all silly on him and told him that he has an incurable disease due to drinking of coffee.

So he spent the whole morning panicking, had probably about eighteen cartons of chocolate milk for breakfast and eventually ended up lying on his bed and waiting for his doom.

Only to find out that Seven was just messing with him. _Again_. _Was he really that gullible?_

Then V just had to come and go bossy then MIA the next moment.

All that and it wasn't even lunchtime yet.

Having contemplated his twenty years of life earlier, he suddenly felt a sense of responsibility. For his life. For his dreams and goals. And it made him realize that he needs to step up and maybe take things seriously for once. _Is this what maturing feels like?_

Or maybe it was just the chocolate milk acting up.

Probably due to the adrenaline rush of the morning's events, he decided on quitting LOLOL altogether. Focus more on his studies. And maybe even get a girlfriend.

He attempted to open a textbook when _it happened_. He can't describe it actually. It was like being electrocuted, but without the pain of it.

 _Pfft. 'Electrocuted without feeling pain'? Really, Yoosung. I should come up with better similes than that. Or was that a metaphor? I really should pay attention to English class…_

Yoosung's phone vibrated and he checked the chatroom. Weird things are always associated with RFA.

Seven said to look up. _Does that mean look up at the sky or what? Are we taking a picture or something? Maybe this is another prank. Should I not look up then?_

Yoosung looked up anyway.

… _Is that a paintbrush?_

* * *

Jaehee was always alert of her surroundings. It comes with being the chief assistant to an over-working, arrogant, snobbish—err, passionate executive director such as her boss. Being alert helps in managing and dealing with situations calmly and rationally. It helps in being prepared.

But no amount of alertness can prepare her for _this_. Thus, Jaehee was left to stare blankly at air in the midst of the chaos. On the outside, she may look calm, but really, her mind is going at speeds.

 _What is happening? Where am I? Where are we? …And who is that good-looking specimen right there?_

This doesn't make sense to her. One moment she was at her desk—with the computer on, a pen in hand, some papers stacked, the fax machine beeping, the coffee machine brewing, Elizabeth the 3rd shedding cat hair at the couch—the next second she was at her phone, chatting because _something just tingled at her senses._

It was like the coffee kicking in after an hour of consumption. These predicaments have started happening ever since she joined RFA. Things eventually quieted down for a while, only to what… _get hectic again? Why now?_

Jaehee first notice that her picture frame containing Zen's latest performance was suddenly out of sight. And the cat's mewling had stopped. She looked up as Seven had said…

She was right to trust those senses. _Now, if only I can awaken said 'senses' so I can make a rational thought out of this bizarre situation._

Being alert sort of sucked for Jaehee right now.

* * *

Zen always made sure that he looks his best whenever he goes out. It doesn't take a lot. He is born attractive after all. His _just woke up like this_ selfies are actually true. Looking bad is actually harder for him than looking good. Effortless. Easy.

So when Zen realized that he was suddenly no longer at his apartment, his first thought was: _I don't have a shirt on._

His second thought was: _Was I kidnapped for being too handsome?_

His third thought was: _OH NO._

He was dead tired from rehearsing earlier so when he got home, Zen just grabbed the first shirt from his drawer and proceeded directly to his bed to get some shut eye. That's when he felt _something weird_ , like a tingling beneath his skin. _Maybe I'm just tired._ He had taken of his button down shirt when his phone received notifications continuously. Zen opened the chat,

He was not surprised to see Seven making a fuss. _…something weird?_

He was a bit surprised—and amused—when Jumin cussed. _Ohhh…._

He was greatly surprised when he looked up.

Hyun really wasn't dressed for this.

* * *

Jumin rarely gets breaks. Being the intelligent and talented son of a successful businessman, he knew he had a busy life ahead. Trained and educated with that mindset, it is no wonder that he became a workaholic. He doesn't see the point of breaks; if you have to do the tenuous tasks anyway, why not do it now? And why not do more while you still can?

Just thinking about those questions would make one feel like already having a break. But not him.

So it had not bothered Jumin anymore that just after a few hours of returning from an overseas business trip, the chairman has called for him once again. He was disappointed to leave Elizabeth the 3rd once more, but he needs to do what he must, what he's good—great—at.

He was once again on the plane when _something occurred out of nowhere._ He felt lightheaded for a moment, like his senses were being used for the first time. He thought it was the plane engine rumbling, so he kept his eyes closed for a while.

But he felt his phone continuously vibrate and with a sigh, decided to check what discussion could his friends be arguing about now. He was caught off guard.

Doing business for the most part of his days did not bother him. Leaving Elizabeth the 3rd for periods of time did not bother him. The sultry looks his female—there are male—employees gave him did not bother him. Sneering old businessmen and jealous board directors did not bother him. Zen annoyed him to the highest extent, but he did not _actually_ bother him.

One of the few things that bother Jumin is losing control. Control of his life, his decisions, his path—those he already lost the moment he was born. So he practices control on something—someone, somewhere—instead.

This… _situation_ …is way out of control. Unimaginable, unthinkable—thus uncontrollable.

And to that, Jumin is now _actually_ bothered. And with jetlag, too.

* * *

Seven is a man of secrets and mysteries. He knows a lot about different people, but these people only knew a handful of information about him. Thirty percent may actually be true ( _You're a cat person, aren't you?_ ), the other seventy by rumors; spread by himself of course. ( _I heard from Tom that he invented the 'selfie'._ )

He knows things that should never be spoken about at dinner time. He experienced events that no person—or cat—would ever get peanut-butter-and-jelly over. He has access to numerous data and information that would make intelligence divisions beg.

In a sense, he is clever and intelligent. He is dangerous—most especially to the cat mommies and daddies out there. _Watch out Jumin, I'm coming for you Elly!_

But with all his tricks and nonsense, Seven is having a rather difficult time gathering actual facts and making _sense_ about this sticky predicament that they somehow got themselves into.

He was in the middle of making a fake LOLOL player to mess with Yoosung _again_ when _something disrupting occurred._ It wasn't exactly unpleasant, more like the brush of hair on skin. It was a short and sudden feeling, but it was enough to get Seven to contemplate and check the chatroom.

He was not alone. They were all going crazy.

His mind had not been stretched like this in a long while now. Seven is overtly anxious, nervous and excited at the same time that he thought he _himself_ might actually self-combust.

When he told them to look up, his laptop was gone from sight. Luciel went real _crazy_ then.

But it was subdued by the others, no worries.

…

* * *

The train ride to the dorm was _awful._

And she had to do it _twice._

With a _bag of groceries._

 _Andy, you are soooo dead. Soooo dead._

 _Public transportation in Manila could use some upgrading anytime now, dearest government officials._

M.C. checked her phone again. She probably missed two or three chatrooms already. She opened the app.

 _Unfortunately, MysticMessenger has stopped._

 _Urg. Bye bye hourglasses._

The PA spoke through the speakers, "Approaching, Vito Cruz station."

 _Oh, look at all those people._ Due to her grocery shopping, she got stuck in the middle of rush hour.

The result? Hellish train ride.

The train came near to a stop and she started pushing and squeezing her way through. _Literally._ "Excuse me. Coming through—oops sorry. Excuse me! I'm getting off here. Yeah—oops, excuse me."

The train was fully packed, and yet there are more people at the station waiting to get on. When the doors opened, M.C. held her breath and _really pushed_ her way through. _Well. At least these arms and thighs have their use._ Years of lifting buckets of water at home certainly gave her some muscle over all the sugar and junk food.

Finally making her way through, she breathed a sigh of relief. She made her way down the station stairs and walked to their dorm unit.

Their dorm was located near Andy's college, and a UV ride away from M.C.'s university. Unlike the tall and looming condominium buildings located nearest to College of St. Benilde (Andy's school), theirs was a 4-storey building located at the quieter parts of the vicinity. The street heading toward their dorm feels like that of the province; where there are children playing in the street, where food carts and sari-sari stores are along the streets, where teenagers are playing badminton and basketball at self-made courts, where women are chatting as they watch their children, where men are bantering and drinking.

She waved at _Mang_ Dan—their landlord—and made her way upstairs. Their dorm unit was located at the third floor of the building, the farthest unit on the right side of the hallway.

M.C. got her keys from her bag as she walked through the hall. The units were double-locked; aside from the lock on the doorknob, they were also required to provide an additional padlock for added security. _You can never know with the people these days._ She unlocked the padlock and was just about to put the key through the doorknob.

She paused.

 _There are voices._

 _But…_

She checked the lock in her hands. The padlock was still hooked there _before_ she unlocked it. It was supposed to mean that there was no one inside. Otherwise, how would you get in? Or out?

 _What the…_

 _I hear voices._

 _Probably the television?_

"…Hey, we really shouldn't touch anything."

"Omo…is that a paint brush? Why is it so big?"

"…There must be an explanation for this. We have to be careful now…"

"No, please! I'm too good-looking to just explode into tiny pieces!"

"…Tsk, why is it so hot in here?"

"Would you guys shut up? …Trying to concentrate here!"

Cue self-argument.

 _What? ...paint brush..? …Explode?!_

 _Okay, calm down M.C. There are strangers in your dorm. Unless Andy is up to her stupid tricks and activities again, there are trespassers on the other side of that door. Talking about explosions._

 _Damn it. I really should have left at 5:00 Pm sharp._

 _Focus! The padlock is still here, I should lock it again and call Mang Jun and report this—_

She unlocked the door.

* * *

 _Jeepney._ A form of transportation that is popular in the Philippines. Known for its crowded seating and colorful decorations.

 _UV._ (UV Express). Another form of transportation in the Philippines that makes use of vans. Can also refer to the license to operate utility vehicles.

 _Mang_. Used to address the male elderly in the Philippines; can be translated as 'Uncle' or 'Old Man'.

 **A/N:** Salamat po!


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Hey! Here is chapter three.

I would like thank once again those who viewed, reviewed, followed and favorited this story. Thank you for being patient, and please continue to be so, despite the irregularities in my updates. Thank you for making this person happy!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Thank you and enjoy!

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: In which all the drawers were opened  
**_

* * *

There was no one there.

M.C. breathed a sigh of relief. _Probably just the neighbors or something._ She shut the door and turned on the light switch.

…and promptly dropped her grocery bags.

She stared. Six pairs of eyes stared back.

 _What the—?_

"And who are you?" a guy with sun glasses and blue hair— _is that dyed?_ —asked her shamelessly.

M.C.'s jaw dropped. "Who—? _What?_ "

A redhead deadpanned, "He asked who you are."

 _The audacity if these people—!_

"What are you doing in Rika's apartment? Let me ask again, who are you?" a beautiful woman asked.

 _Rika's apartment…_

 _WHAT?!_

"…I think she can't speak because you don't have a shirt on."

"Oh. Am I really that distracting?"

"Oh please—"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?!" M.C. shouted, "AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY DORM?!"

A blonde man answered. "Wha… _your dorm_? This is Rika's apartment! How did _you_ get in?"

"This is a dorm?" the raven head asked.

"Oh, shut up will you?" a _shirtless_ silver-haired man rebutted.

M.C.'s brow furrowed. "I don't know who this Rika person is, but this is _my dorm_ ," she gave the blonde a dirty look, "that is _my broom_ that you're holding," she glared at the redhead, "and that is _my bed_ you're currently sitting on," she directed her angry gaze to the silver-haired guy, "and _where the hell is your shirt_?"

The silver head blinked, "I…left it?"

"This is crazy. You are all crazy. I'm getting crazy. This day is crazy. " M.C. sighed. "Okay, wait. Just…please, let me get him a shirt first." she turned to the closet beside the front door and held the handle.

"NO!" her… _guests_ chorused.

M.C. turned to them and once again stared incredulously, " _WHAT_?"

The blonde gasped, "Are you insane? Do you want to die?"

" _Oh?_ And can you tell me why you arrived to that accusation? Why would I want to die?! In my own dorm?! With you people?! And don't call me _insane_! In my own dorm!" M.C.'s voice rose at every sentence.

Before anyone else can say something stupid, the aqua-haired man replied calmly, "Well…what my friend was meant to say was, we recommend that you—well, all of us—avoid touching anything for now, because we aren't sure what would happen if we do." He paused a bit, and added, "There might be alarms installed all around the place, or in the worst case, there might be explosives—"

"Woah! Wait a minute!" M.C. intervened. "Mind explaining to me why there would be alarms and explosives in _my dorm?_ Without me knowing?"

The raven-haired man became the 'anyone else' that said something stupid, "Stop it with this nonsense. We believe that we are currently in Rika's apartment. And you should heed our warnings of not touching anything, to ensure all of our safety."

" _Nonsense?!_ " M.C. _almost_ screeched.

Except she doesn't _screech._

She _shouts in a high tone_.

Yeah, there is a difference.

"You people are the ones not making sense here! I repeat, _this is my dorm._ And there are no alarms or explosives in here! The only thing that you"—she pointed at all of them, fingers shaking with barely kept annoyance—"should be worried about is my temper flaring if you don't explain right now!" M.C. breathed hard after her outburst.

She really hated repeating herself. And the words ' _my dorm',_ are grating on her nerves now.

If only those words could grate on the skulls of these people.

Silver-haired man—brave soul—spoke up, "Look, cutie, maybe—"

M.C. growled, " _DO NOT. CALL. ME. CUTIE._ "

The beautiful brunette spoke next, "Miss, obviously we are all very confused here. But if you would just sit down for a moment, we will explain to you what classified information Rika's apartment may contain, in order for you to understand better why there is a possibility of this place having security measures, such as alarms or bombs even. I know this is a lot to take in, but if you could just listen—"

M.C. cannot believe this. _I'm being scolded by strangers in my own dorm. Unbelievable._

She can't listen to this anymore.

She turned towards the closet again. She held the handle and stared blankly at the panicked faces of her trespassers.

The woman shut her mouth immediately, and they all sucked in a breath. "NO—"

M.C. opened the closet.

The blonde whimpered. The aqua-haired guy fidgeted. The silver-head flinched. The raven-haired man tensed. The ginger recoiled. The brunette balked.

She rolled her eyes, got a button down shirt inside the closet and threw it to the half-naked man across the room.

M.C. crossed her arms, "Boom."

They all started at that and stared at her incredulously.

The blonde spoke, "…maybe there's nothing important in the closet?"

Silver grabbed the shirt from his head and hesitated. "That's not going to magically combust, if that's what you're worried about." M.C. scoffed. He smiled sheepishly and proceeded to wear the shirt. It fits perfectly.

M.C. made to move when they all flinched. She stared at them and grabbed a chair to sit down. She had been standing the whole train ride carrying groceries, her feet were killing her—among other things.

"Okay. No alarms. No explosions. No bombs. Now do you believe that this is _my dorm_ and _not Mika's apartment?_ "

The blonde pouted, "It's Rika—"

"Whatever." M.C. deadpanned. It seemed to be the wrong thing to say because they all glared at her.

She glared back.

They stayed silent and tense like that for a few minutes.

Normally when unsure, Mariel would have immediately backed down, especially when confronted by a group. But she was absolutely sure that they were at _her dorm, invading her privacy._

Just to prove her point, she opened every storage space in the room—the bedside table drawers, the cabinets, the first aid kit, the refrigerator door, the table drawer, the kitchen cabinets, the bathroom door—everything on hinges and rollers except their undergarments drawer, of course. There are _grown males_ here.

(When the ginger was about to comment on that drawer, she gave him a pointed glare. He smiled sheepishly. The rest coughed.)

"Do you believe me now?" M.C. questioned exasperatedly. She attempted to sit down on the chair she grabbed earlier. She really hated anything being redundant and repeated. _Why is it always Rika?_

…

…

…

 _Rika's apartment…_

She gasped and barely let out, "…RFA…"

And six pairs of eyes once again stared back at her in shock.

M.C.'s hand slipped away from the back of the chair and she ended up sprawled on the floor. She made no move to get up. Her mind was going at speeds to comprehend the sudden burst of information—possibilities, reasons, feelings, events—from those three letters.

Her mind went blank. Then…

 _RFA…classified information…security measures…Rika's apartment…Unfortunately, MysticMessenger has stopped…hourglasses…_

Her left eye twitched on the last one.

She suddenly felt it hard to breathe. Her hands were shaking, and if she weren't already sprawled out, her knees would have probably gave out on her. She blinked rapidly, saliva was pooling at her mouth. Her stomach is churning. She clenched and unclenched her muscles in order to regain control of herself.

 _No, it can't be…not possible…impossible…_

A foot appeared on her line of vision. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away.

 _This can't be real…they can't be real…_

"Um…are you okay?" a hand appeared in front of her face. _Psh. Do I seem okay to you?,_ she thought.

She looked up. Sunglasses-covered eyes met her sight. Aqua blue hair slightly swept to the side.

"You're…V."

The person she claimed to be V paused for a moment. Due to his sunglasses, she can't actually gauge his reaction. _But he paused_ , she thought, _I may have caught him off guard, somehow._ "You…know me?"

M.C. stared at the hand, then back at V's face, then back to the hand. After a moment, she hesitantly grabbed it. "Well…you and, the others."

She tried to stand upright but her knees wobbled before her. When she was about to fall again, the other female in the room grabbed the chair for her. M.C. sat down and stared at her. Her brown hair cut short, and big brown eyes framed by a pair of normal-looking glasses. "Uh…thanks, Jaehee."

M.C. blinked and she was suddenly face-to-face with stripe-rimmed glasses framing golden eyes. Bright red hair barely brushing them. She punched him instantly. "OMG SEVEN! I'm sorry!" she gasped. She felt sorry for a second then glared at him, "Don't you have a concept of personal space?!" Only to feel guilty when she saw a bruise forming on his left cheek. "Oh no, I am so sorry!"

Seven didn't seem to notice that his cheek was bruising. He stared confusedly at her and then grinned. "Interesting…"

A masculine laugh and then, "That was a nice hook." She turned to the silver-haired hair atop was cropped,with the strands at the bottom falling down his back, held together in a low ponytail by a small hair tie. He had the reddest eyes M.C. had ever seen. He approached her and knelt down in front of her, pushing Seven aside ( _"Hey, ow!"_ ). "My dear cu—err, lady, this handsome man standing before you is—"

"Yeah, Zen. I know. You're supposed to be famous, right?" M.C. deadpanned. Zen, unused to such a reaction, sputtered "Oh…err. Not that famous."

He was suddenly pushed to the ground by the blonde with violet eyes ("Hey!" he fell on top of "Ow man! Get off!"-Seven) holding a… "Do you…"

"Yoosung, you shouldn't push people." M.C. sighed and stood up. "And what are you doing with that _walis,_ anyways _?_ "

Yoosung stared confusedly at the object he's holding. " _Walis?_ Is this some sort of paintbrush?" M.C. sighed and offered her hand to Zen and Seven. "No. And let go of it, please."

She turned to Seven as she pried the object of off Yoosung's hands. "I'm sorry. Wait, I have a cold compress here."

She sat the _walis_ to the corner of the dorm and moved to the mini fridge at the right side of the room.

It was next to, "Jumin. Could you move a bit?" The raven-haired man didn't move from his spot. His coal black eyes stared blankly at her. M.C. glared at him. "Really? Aren't you supposed to be the 'mature' one? Move, please."

Someone scoffed at the _mature one._

M.C. shoved Jumin anyway.

 _I'm sorry for not respecting my elders, but I'm really not in the mood right now,_ she thought as she grabbed the cold compress and threw it at Seven.

Seven caught it and all of the other occupants just stared at the cold pack. Then they stared back at M.C.

She sighed. _I've been sighing a lot today._ "I know you have a lot of questions. I have lots myself. But…let me clean up first, all right?" She needed to busy herself in order to calm down. They nodded. "Then we will talk about this maturely, like what adults should do."

Someone snorted. M.C. narrowed her eyes.

Well, she _was_ the one who sort of…burst earlier.

But who can blame her… _RFA is here_.

* * *

After putting away the groceries _("These…canned sardines…are these edible?", "Of course they are! They're for the cats, duh."),_ sorting Andy's laundry _("…do you want us to help?" blush. "Idiot!" blush. "You don't have to do anything! I'll help her instead. Just…face the walls or something."),_ sweeping the floor _("Achoo! Oh…this isn't good for my allergy…or my skin…" "So that is what it's used for! Can I try?"),_ keeping her architectural plates _("This is a very good photo…what? A drawing?"),_ and getting rid of the trash _("You don't sort these?"),_ M.C. took a deep breath and sat down, facing her guests.

They stared at each other as the seconds passed. She checked her wrist watch, _8:30 Pm._

Someone coughed. Blink. Fidget. Squirm.

Zen eventually broke the silence. "So, this shirt…is this your boyfriend's?" Yoosung elbowed him in the gut. "That's just rude!"

M.C. blankly stared at them. "It's mine. I have…broad shoulders." At this, she looked down, "Male sizes fit me better."

"Oh." Zen didn't say anything more. Yoosung stepped on his foot this time. "You just made her uncomfortable!"

M.C. rubbed at her temples. "Okay, enough about the shirt. I want to know how you got here."

Jumin scoffed. "I believe we are the ones who should be asking you questions. How do you know who we are, miss…?" he looked at her, inquiry in his gaze.

She blinked.

"Oh, right. Uhm… Hi. I'm M.C.", and for the first time throughout their meeting, she felt embarrassed.

"M.C….you don't mean…?" V's brows rose. "The new RFA member? You're _that M.C.?_ "

M.C.'s eyebrow twitched, "Yeah, M.C. isn't really a common name now is it?"

 _Calm and mature. Breathe in, breathe out._

Jaehee recovered from her shock and quickly asked, "Then does that mean we really are at Rika's apartment?"

"Err…no." M.C. played with the ends of her hair, a habit she formed whenever she contemplates on what to say or do in a certain situation. "But I really am M.C. from the chat. And this is my dorm."

"Well, M.C. from the chat, it certainly is a surprise to finally meet you in person!" Seven grinned. "You live alone, too?"

She shook her head. "No, my niece and I actually share this dorm together…" _Oh no…_ she gasped.

Jumin stared confusedly, "So this room is meant for _two_ people?"

M.C. stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry but we have to get out of here, now."

"Omo, so there is a time-ticking bomb in here?!"

"No! Stop it with the bombs and alarms and explosives already! We just need to leave!"

 _Screw calm and mature._

They all stared at her confusedly. One second she was sitting calmly, the next she was ushering them out. "Why the hurry to get us out?" Zen questioned.

M.C. was all over the place in a matter of seconds. She grabbed her backpack used for hiking and stuffed different necessities—clothes, money, wallet, laptop, hygiene pouch, first aid kit, and the dress her mother had her fetch, lots of tea, a water tumbler, a pack of _Frutos,_ and a bottle of Paracetamol. She zipped the bag, grabbed her coat and hurriedly ushered her guests out the dorm.

"You can't stay here. Andy can't see you here." She grunted as she pushed them all out.

Jumin smirked. "Oh. Is this Andy person your boyfriend?"

"What is it with you people and boyfriends?!" she retorted. _Probably because they came from a dating game._ "And no, Andy is my _niece_. _She_ can't see you because you people aren't supposed to be here!" M.C. wrote a note to Andy, taped it to the door and proceeded to go outside and lock the dorm.

She turned to RFA, "We'll talk somewhere else."

A stomach growled. "Heh, sorry. Haven't eaten anything for the whole day, fellas." Seven smiled sheepishly.

M.C. sighed, "You…I'm afraid you can't buy anything here." She contemplated. And snapped her fingers. "I know a place. Let's go."

* * *

 _Walis._ A soft whisk broom made of reed, used for sweeping dust of the floor.

 _Frutos._ A brand of chewy fruit-flavored candy in the Philippines.

 _Paracetamol._ Medicine for headaches.

 **A/N:** Salamat po! (Thank you!)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hello again!

So here is the fourth chapter. And once again, I would like to thank those who viewed, followed, favored and reviewed this story. I check the graphs almost every day and it really inspires me whenever I get the notifications. I only hope you find this more interesting as it goes.

I replied to the reviews but I am not actually sure if they have received it, I apologize since I am not familiar how to reply to reviews. Please message me if you haven't received anything, I would like for you to know that your comments are appreciated.

Again, if you guys have any questions about the story, feel free to ask!

Rated T for language and M.C.'s fit of hitting.

Thank you and enjoy! 

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe. 

* * *

_**Chapter 4: In which M.C. treats the foreign exchange students to KFC  
**_

* * *

M.C. checked the halls. She was leaning flat and low against the wall of the hallway. Left and right, she checked. _Coast is clear._ She got on all fours and crawled a bit, her side next to the wall. She peeked at the corner. _No one at the stairs. Now is the perfect time to—_

"What are you doing?"

She stared back at her _guests_ and hissed. "What am _I_ doing? What are _you_ doing? You're exposing yourselves!"

The RFA members were standing in the middle of the hallway just right behind her.

Jumin scoffed. "You look ridiculous. Get up before you embarrass yourself any further."

Just to prove his point, a tenant suddenly turned the corner and saw the crowd. She lives in the unit across her own. The tenant stared at her on the floor and waved at her hesitantly. The RFA members nodded their greetings. She nodded back—blushing—and proceeded to her own unit. The door shut.

"See? You're the one looking suspicious here." Yoosung commented. M.C. was about to retort when the door next to the wall she was leaning on opened, and out came a middle-aged man about to fetch his slippers. The man stared at her and huffed. "Do you need something?"

M.C. quickly got back on her feet. "No, sir! Sorry! I just—I dropped my coin…somewhere here…" The man shook his head at her. He grabbed his slippers and went inside his unit again, but not without muttering "Psh, teenagers…what perverts kids are these days." He shut the door.

M.C.'s ears reddened and apparently, the whole crowd heard it because she heard an idiot chuckle. She turned and glared at them, Seven coughed. "C'mon pervert, I say we go."

"Aa, let us proceed now shall we?" V grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her forward.

Zen chuckled. "Oh, we're walking now?" he muttered under his breath, "Too bad, she looked somehow appealing when she was crawling like that."

Yoosung blushed "Zen, no!" and Seven guffawed. Jumin was about to say something when Jaehee gave them a pointed look. She proceeded to calm M.C.'s rising temper. "Pay no mind to them."

M.C. shook. _Breathe in, breathe out._ _Calm thoughts._ She glared at them one more time and proceeded along the hallway.

They went down the stairs, M.C. checked the gate to look for signs of _Mang_ Dan. Fortunately he was not in sight. Explaining how she was going out with the six guests when she went in alone earlier would have been messy.

They just went out through the gate when she saw _Aling_ Mel, _Mang_ Dan's wife. "Hey there, M.C.! How are you? I haven't seen you for a while now." M.C. gulped when she turned to the RFA. "Oh, you had guests?"

"Uhm, yeah. They're—"

… _cousins? …friends?_

… _co-workers? …models?_

… _game characters?_

… _a dream? …a nightmare?_

… _real? …not real?_

"—foreign exchange students! Uh…from my university! They're Korean. _"_ M.C. fidgeted with the strands of her hair. "I was just…touring them around Manila. And we, uh, dropped by here because they were curious as to where we students live. Guys, this is _Aling_ Mel, our landlady." She turned to the RFA and gave them a pointed look.

To them, she looked like she was about to vomit.

Nothing from M.C.'s paused responses seemed to be suspicious to _Aling_ Mel—or maybe she decided to just ignore it, she replied "Oh. Well, I'll say. This building is not as extravagant as most student dormitories—"

"Tell me about it," Jumin muttered under his breath. V elbowed him indistinctly in the ribs.

"—but it is well taken care of by my family and I. And we actually care about our tenants." She continued, not hearing what the raven head said. She blinked and turned to M.C., "Oh, but do you think they understand me? Here I am blabbering and I'm not even sure if they knew what I was saying!" she laughed at that.

M.C. gave them incomprehensible looks. RFA didn't know what to make of them. She looked constipated this time.

They just decided to laugh politely. "Nice to meet you ma'am," Jaehee nodded to the woman. "We…studied the basics of the local language before coming here. No need to worry for us misunderstanding anything."

Seven opened his mouth to ask a question, and M.C. quickly intervened, "And we are really grateful for that _Aling_ Mel. We were on our way out to eat, my guests are quite hungry. I'll just let my mother know about the rent. Thank you, goodbye!" she waved her hands to usher her guests along.

When the dorm building was a distance away, M.C. finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, that was close."

"You don't go out often, do you?" Seven commented.

M.C. ignored him and proceeded to walk along the street, all the while thinking about her current situation. _What would I do with them now? It is already well into the night, where are they supposed to stay? Even if I explain to Andy, it's not like we can all fit there…_

 _And what is that annoying sound?!_

She glared at the passing high school girls that were giggling, playfully slapping and shoving each other. They were pointing behind her. _What annoying little twits! What are they even—_

 _Oh, right._

She stared exasperatedly at the RFA members.

 _Damn, they are gorgeous._

They were taking in the unique surroundings as they walked. Jumin was glaring at the exposed electrical wires above the street. Yoosung was staring at the different food carts they were passing by. Seven was fiddling with his phone. V was smiling at the children playing around. Jaehee was walking with her head held high. Zen was—

"What are you doing?!" M.C. growled.

Zen looked at her after waving goodbye to the giggling hyenas—err, teenagers. Said animals—girls are still looking at them over their shoulders. She barred her teeth at them. The beasts—high-schoolers sneered back at her before tossing their hair back and continued their way.

 _Those little—!_

"Hey, calm down, M.C.," a hand at her shoulder. "You sound like a jealous girlfriend." Zen chuckled.

M.C. slapped him on the shoulder. Hard.

"Shut up, you narcissistic fiend!" She grabbed at her hair. "We're supposed to be walking along _inconspicuously,_ but no—all of you just have to look like—like—"

She sighed. "Just…just follow me, alright?" she turned and continued to walk.

Jumin gave a pointed look at Zen, "Look, you made her angry. Again."

Zen glared at him. "Me? What did _I_ do?"

"Let's talk about this later" V intervened, "Let's…stop getting on her nerves and just stay quiet, alright?" They followed M.C. quietly.

M.C. felt guilty. It wasn't their fault that they were good-looking, or that they caught the attention of the passers-by. She should not have burst like that. Now she felt more embarrassed.

M.C. did not exactly like being with good-looking people. She likes to look at them, sure, but hanging out with them…she tries to avoid as much as possible. She even tends to scowl at her good-looking girl and guy friends, and mostly keeps to herself whenever they go out. The attention they get just by looking good is suffocating to M.C., and it doesn't make her feel good about herself either.

It was a horrible way of thinking, she knows, and just bears with it just to be with her friends. It is not their fault for looking the way they are, but hers because she thinks so.

 _Now is not the time for this. You have some issues to deal with. Not to mention work tomorrow._

She groaned. Hopefully, some food would cheer her up. 

* * *

"Okay, what would you guys like?" M.C. asked the RFA members as they stared at the menu.

They were currently at KFC, also known as…

"Kentucky Fried Chicken," Yoosung pointed at the menu, "is what KFC means, Jumin."

Said man narrowed his eyes at the menu. "So…that is fried chicken, you say?"

Zen rubbed at his temples. "I cannot believe you do not know what fried chicken is. And you're…what? Thirty-five?"

"Twenty-six, you idiot." Jumin scoffed. "Do not blame me for not knowing what fried chicken is, it is commoner food that is not served at our table."

M.C. crossed her arms and turned to Jumin, "Well too bad, Mr. Moneybags. I am the one paying here, and this is the only _somehow decent_ food that I can afford for the _seven_ of us, amongst other things. Unless you have any form of payment that is valid here, then be my guest and chose a restaurant you like."

Zen and Seven snickered. Jumin made to go and grab his wallet when V stopped him, "No, Jumin. I checked the notes they use here, ours is completely useless." He turned to M.C., "Which is one of the questions that I actually hope to be answered later on."

"Yeah, that makes the two of us." M.C. looked at Jumin. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I'm really short on cash and—"

"No, it is fine." Jumin made a show of looking at the menu. "I apologize also. I did not mean to insult your commoner food."

 _I'll just…yeah, okay._ M.C. sighed. "So…what will you guys have?"

"Anything that is fried and that is a chicken is fine." Seven replied. "Oh, and if you don't mind, a large Ph D. Pepper, please!"

"We don't have Ph D. Pepper here," Seven gasped, "but we do have Coke?"

" _No Ph D. Pepper?!_ " he stared at her wide-eyed. He grabbed her shoulders, "How can you live like this? _This is insane!_ "

"You're insane." M.C. retorted and slapped his hands away. " _Coke_ it is, then."

 _Make that Coke Zero. Seven doesn't need more sugar right now._

She turned to Yoosung. "I'll go with whatever you order, M.C. I mean, it is your money. I'm not that picky with food." he smiled at her. Jaehee nodded at her. "Yes, me as well. It is bad enough that you are paying. For strangers, no less."

 _Not actually strangers… I probably know more about them than they do themselves._ She directed her gaze at Jumin and Zen. "And you…?"

Zen decided to speak up before Jumin could say something offensive again, "We would eat anything you would buy for us, cu—err, M.C." he winked at her.

Gods bless the brave man.

M.C. growled.

"That's settled then. I'll accompany M.C. in the line." V said before any bones could get broken. M.C. suddenly remembered something. _Isn't he supposed to be..?I_ "Whoa…are you sure? I can handle this, they have waiters here to help." She tried to peer through his sunglasses.

V paused to look at her. _Could she…_ "No, I insist. It is the least that we can do."

M.C. gave him a suspicious stare before pointing the rest to a table at the back. "Well, alright. You guys just wait over there." She walked towards the growing line towards the counter.

But not before giving them a _do-not-do-anything-stupid-or-else_ stare.

That stare came across clearly to the other RFA members this time.

V hummed, which caused M.C. to look up at him. He has a few inches on her. The height difference doesn't make her stare any less intense though. "What are you thinking?"

"Hm? Well, a lot of things actually." V chuckled. "You are not the only one confused here."

M.C. blinked and fiddled with her hair. "I know. I am sorry for my temper."

"No need to apologize." He paused for a moment and continued. "…Do you know?"

She stared at him blankly before replying. "Oh? Yeah, sort of… Is it true? That you're…you can't—?"

V chuckled. "Well…not entirely. I am having some problems with it right now, but not anything bad that can be used as an excuse to not help you with the tray of food. I guess you knowing these things about us is another mystery?"

M.C. just nodded her head. _How do I tell them that they are…_ "I promise to help as best as I can. I mean…because I think all of you being here, has something to do with me. Since I—"

"Next customer, please!"

M.C. jumped. "Oh, hold that thought." They proceeded to the front of the counter and began to order. 

* * *

The rest of the RFA members looked around the fast food chain. It was pretty packed for this time of night. Zen looked over at the next table and noticed a group of female students _not subtly_ staring at him. He was about to wave when he remembered what M.C. did earlier.

He shuddered.

He gave them a small smile instead and quickly turned back to their table. Aside from the number of people, it seemed to be pretty normal.

But normal was thrown out of the window when they appeared altogether in M.C.'s dorm.

 _Not Rika's apartment…_

Their current surroundings seemed…dimmer. Not as vibrant as they were used to seeing everyday with their eyes. But it does seem more…real, somehow.

Zen saw Jumin flexing his fingers. "What's wrong Mr. Trust Fund Kid? Still surprised that you got scolded by a girl smaller than you?" he smirked.

"Oh, and what about your shoulder? Does it still hurt?" Jumin retorted. He flexed his fingers again. "I do not know about you, but ever since appearing in…M.C.'s dorm, I have been feeling strange."

Yoosung looked at them from staring at the gravy dispenser. "You too?"

"It seems we all do." Seven said. He finally took his eyes off of his phone and stretched. He stared at the table, dazed. "I…my sytems aren't working here."

"You're systems?" Jaehee asked.

He rested his chin on the table. "My hacking systems, my sim cards, my fakebook and tweeter accounts…nothing! I can't even access my bank accounts! The only thing that is working is the RFA chatroom. And that seems useless since, you know, all of us are here." He sighed. "And I don't even have my laptop with me."

He slammed his fists on the table. "How am I supposed to live like this?!"

"Pipe down, Seven! You're attracting attention…something that M.C. does not want us doing, remember?" Yoosung emphasized on the last word and looked pointedly over his shoulder.

They looked at M.C. She scowled at them before turning back to the cashier.

Zen sighed in relief. She was too far away to inflict any physical damage, but her glares are just too much for a person. "I never expected M.C. to be so…"

"Manly? Violent? Sarcastic? Hot-headed?" Jumin supplied.

"…' _different'_ is what I was going to say." Zen huffed. "And that was totally uncalled for. Do you want to get your ass kicked? She hits hard, you know." He massaged his shoulder. He was pretty sure it bruised.

"Mr. Han, let us avoid getting on her nerves, yes?" Jaehee spoke and pushed her glasses back. "We are currently in unfamiliar territory right now, and you would not want to anger probably the only person who can help us get back, now would you?" she looked around the table. "And I think that goes for all of us."

Seven hid his face in embarrassment. "Yeah, we got you, girl. I just hate feeling this helpless. And I miss my computers so much…" he mock-sniffed. He still had the cold pack from earlier and handed it to Zen.

Yoosung scratched at his blonde hair. "Can't we just take a taxi to get home or something?"

Jumin shook his head, "Aside from the fact that I do not like the idea of riding a cab, this place is unfamiliar. I have seen the street signs, and it is nowhere near where we live. I have done numerous business meetings in most parts of Korea, and am sure that I have not been here before." He paused for a moment. "Even the people look different."

They looked around. It is not the place that is different,

They are.

Zen sighed. "I am confused as hell right now." He looked at the counter and smirked. "Looks like V and M.C. is getting friendly over there."

Yoosung turned his head so quick that the others expected his head to just suddenly fall off. "WHAT? How could he?! What about—mmphf!"

Seven clamped his hand around Yoosung's mouth. "Dude! Heed your own warning if you want to live!"

Jaehee looked over at V and M.C. They were currently waiting for the food to be prepared. They were talking and…well, talking. "I don't think there's anything." She turned back to the table. "V is a friendly person, after all."

Jumin suddenly snorted.

They stared at him.

He coughed.

"Sorry, it's just…V and M.C…they're letters…"

Zen shook his head at him, "You have a weird sense of humor."

Yoosung calmed down a bit and swatted Seven's hand from his mouth. "But you know, Zen is right…M.C. from the chat is rather different from M.C. the person." He contemplated further, "She seemed so sweet and funny and cute and—"

He stopped when they started staring. Yoosung felt his ears redden.

"—uh, different." He finished lamely.

Jaehee turned to Seven, whose head was resting on the table. He was oozing with depressing aura. "You saw her photo, didn't you? Is she—"

"She looked totally unalike from what I saw then." He raised his head. "And it makes me even more upset! From the pictures that I collected, she looked similar to the avatar that she used in our chat. Long silky brown hair, big brown eyes, her skin seemed soft too—"

He stopped when they started staring. Yoosung snorted. Seven smacked him.

"—and not at all what she looks like right now." He paused. "Except her hair. It still looks silky soft."

Silky-soft-hair-owner slapped his head.

Zen laughed. "Real smooth, Seven."

Seven rubbed at his head and muttered under his breath. V brought the food down the table. M.C. narrowed her eyes at Seven and said nothing. She sat down at the vacant seat next to him, anyway.

The food smelled heavenly.

Yoosung spoke up from next to Zen, "Alright! Let's eat guys!"

M.C. proceeded to distribute the food amongst the RFA members. "Oh, the utensils. I'll go get them." She also grabbed two plates before she went to the service counter.

"So, what was that about hair looking silky-soft?" V teased. He hadn't the luxury to interact with his friends these days…or months.

"You pick now to be funny, V?" Seven groaned and proceeded to take the largest cup from the drinks on the table. "Did she hear that?"

"Just that last bit. Me, on the other hand…" he laughed when Seven sank further in his seat. "Yeah, make fun of the funny guy."

"You are not funny." Jumin replied.

"You're creepy. And scary. And weird." Jaehee added.

Seven sniffed, "I'll take all that as compliments, and I still think I'm funny."

"How can the people stand eating here? No table cloths? No napkins? Not even a vase of flowers." Jumin complained.

Zen wrinkled his nose at him. " _Flowers?_ Seriously? Seven's not the freak here. You are."

"Hey! Where did 'freak' come from?"

"Well, you did want a space wedding didn't you?"

"So? That doesn't make me a freak, does it?"

"…"

He slumped at his seat.

"Yeah, well I'll take that as a compliment too."

"What were you talking about, anyways?" V asked.

Zen yawned. "Just M.C. being viole—err, different and all that." He casually waved his hand. "Nothing bad, you know."

Just in time with M.C. sitting down, utensils, straws and plates of gravy in hand. She set them down on the table. "Nice try, Zen. You guys were dissing me."

Zen balked, "No, we weren't! We—" M.C. interrupted him, waving him away. "Yeah, whatever." She laughed. "Let's eat first, alright?"

They moved for the food when they saw M.C. close her eyes, made the Sign and clasped her hands.

They paused. A heart fluttered. Probably two. Or six.

Finished, M.C. opened her eyes and gave them a small awkward smile. She proceeded to eat.

They stared a bit more before finally digging in.

…

"…I'm sorry, but did you just say _pictures_?With an _s_? Plural? … _Collected_?!"

"Uh…"

"You are a pervert!"

"Aw, man! What do you do with those?"

M.C. had a feeling that she did not want to know what they were talking about. 

* * *

_Mang_. Used to address the male elderly in the Philippines; can be translated as 'Uncle' or 'Elder Man'.

 _Aling._ Used to address the female elderly in the Philippines; can be translated as 'Auntie' or 'Elder Lady'.

 **A/N:** Salamat po!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

 **A/N:** Hello there!

I want to thank you again, for those who continue to support this story. I will be forever grateful for your love. I hope you enjoy this update, as much as I enjoy your views, follows, favorites, and reviews.

I will apologize in advance if you ever find the RFA characters different. But know that I will try hard to have them act and speak in the story as close to how you know them in the game.

I decided to change the genre by the way. I just read through the past chapters and I don't think it is that humorous to be under that category. Please tell me your thoughts, if you have any, on this matter.

It turns out that my replies have not been sent or seen. So I decided to put the responds to your reviews and questions here instead. You guys can find my replies at the bottom of the page. Thank you and I hope you don't mind.

Rated T, for language and M.C.'s temper.

Happy Anniversary to MysticMessenger!

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: In which RFA gets to ride a UV van**_

* * *

Jumin picked at the fried chicken with his fork. "How do you eat this then?"

V wiped his mouth with a tissue, "C'mon, Jumin. Fried chicken is food. You eat it like how you eat food." He used his fork and spoon to slice the chicken and scoop some rice. "I know you're smarter than that."

"Or you could eat like that." Zen pointed at the other end of the table.

Yoosung, Seven and M.C. were happily finger picking and eating their chicken. They were huddled together and were hogging a plate full of gravy for themselves.

M.C. licked her fingers. Jumin wrinkled his nose at her, "How barbaric."

She scoffed, "It is not barbaric. Fried chicken is finger food. You eat it with your hands to get to the good stuff."

Jumin blinked owlishly. Seven laughed out loud. Yoosung blushed deep red. Jaehee paused in her eating. V bit his lip.

Zen's face suddenly colored and he choked on his food. "Oh gods! Ack—" he coughed hard.

Jaehee thumped him hard on the back. He still continued to cough.

M.C. made to slap his back.

Zen's eyes went comically wide. He shook his head and waved his hands in front of him frantically.

 _NO!_

He coughed with all his might and finally spat the piece of chicken.

V handed him a glass of water. M.C. was by his side in an instant. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…" he coughed a bit more. "I'm fine. Still alive. Still handsome. I'm alright…"

She slapped his back hard before rubbing it gently.

Jumin scoffed. "That's what you get for being a pervert."

"Me? Wha—"

M.C. looked at him questioningly. She continued to rub Zen's back. "Pervert…?"

She paused. _Oh my gods…_

M.C. slapped Zen's back again and went back to her seat. Zen groaned.

"You deserve that you pervert."

"I didn't even say anything!"

"You were thinking it!"

"But you said it!"

M.C. was about to retort. She laughed instead.

"What's so funny now?" Zen asked warily.

M.C. stifled her laughter, "Nothing. Inside joke." She handed him a tissue. "Finish your meal, Tiff—I mean, Zen."

"I wasn't the only one who…thought of it like that, you know." Zen shrugged anyway. _She goes from mama bear to papa bear in an instant. So scary._

M.C. was about to take another bite of her meal when she noticed Jumin wasn't eating. _Where is his…?_

She turned to find Jaehee grudgingly slicing his chicken to pieces. M.C. stared at him incredulously, "Are you serious? Are you a baby?"

Jumin ignored her, "I'm waiting, Assistant Kang."

M.C. rubbed at her face. "You are a bully." She grabbed the plate from Jaehee and proceeded to slice the chicken herself. Brutally. "Stop overworking Jaehee, old man. You can't actually pay her right now, you know."

She smiled at Jaehee. "You should finish your food now." And passed the murdered—sliced chicken to Jumin. "There, pretend it's a salad or something."

Seven, Yoosung and Zen laughed at that.

Jumin glared. V chuckled and nudged his shoulder. "Just eat, Jumin. We owe her you know."

"Fine. But I am not liking this one bit."

He took a bite.

…

* * *

M.C. stared at the receipts in her hands. Then at the RFA members. Then at Jumin. Then back to the receipts.

Her eye twitched. Four _buckets…of eight pieces of chicken…just like that…_

"So much for 'commoner food' huh, Jumin?" she quipped. _There goes my allowance…_

Jumin continued to eat happily at his chicken, all with a poise of a rich bastard.

Only he can make fried chicken look like a five-star main course.

M.C. stared. _Unbelievable._

V cleared his throat. "Now that we've had our fill, let's talk." He turned to M.C. "First and foremost, can you tell us where we are right now?"

She fiddled with her hair strands, _How to go about this…_ "Well, we are currently in my country right now. A four-hour plane ride away from Korea." She looked at them, "We're in the Philippines right now."

They stared blankly at her.

Yoosung perked up, "Oh! Miss Uniwide 2015 is from the Philippines!"

Zen sighed, "Ah, yes. I remember the coronation night."

"Focus, people." Jaehee said. She pushed her glasses back to its proper place. "But how can that be? Just a few hours ago, we were at Korea, minding our own business. Separately. Then the next, we were at your dorm, together."

Seven piped in, "At first we thought we were at Rika's apartment. 'Cause it looked like an apartment, and with the RFA, it is the first logical place that we can think of." He sighed. "We even wondered why you weren't there, and thought that maybe you've been kidnapped or fed to the aliens or something."

M.C. ignored the aliens and gave them a confused stare, "You really didn't do anything? Nothing remarkable whatsoever?"

They shook their heads.

"No blinding light?"

They shook their heads.

"No spirit giving you a journey?"

They shook their heads.

"No sudden computer voice? No weird opening theme?"

They shook their heads.

"No magic portal? No magic book? No magic at all? No ninjas? No shinigamis? No pirates? No—"

"THERE WAS NO ANYTHING, ALRIGHT?!" they said in unison.

M.C. laughed. "Sorry, I was just teasing you guys." She then turned serious again. "It really doesn't explain anything…"

Seven furrowed his brows, "Wait a minute. You said we are currently at the Philippines right now." She nodded. "This is…your home country?"

M.C. nodded again.

"Then how did you get to Rika's apartment? _In Korea?_ "

Her eyes widened.

They stared.

 _Oh._

M.C. contemplated on this. How could one tell a person—six of them—that they are game characters?

 _Funny thing, you guys, because you are actually game characters from this phone application called Mystic Messenger! It's some sort of dating game that I downloaded from the App store a few weeks ago. It means you're not real! Hahaha_

She shook her head. That is just plain stupid and—

"Excuse me _?_ "

"What?"

"…A game?"

"What are you talking about?"

Oh.

M.C. gasped and clasped her hands to her mouth. _Did I just…?_ She sometimes would have those moments of suddenly spacing out then blurting the things that she was thinking about. _Why now?_

"Speak up, M.C.! What is all that bull about game characters and app stores?" Zen demanded.

"I—"

"How can that be possible? Are you saying that everything we've been through, it was all lies?" Yoosung questioned more.

Seven narrowed his eyes, "What are you hiding, M.C?"

Hands shaking. Stomach churning. Heart pumping. Palms sweating. She stood up. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

There was no restroom. She went outside the fast food chain and out of their sight.

 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

She slapped her forehead multiple times and pressed the heels of her palms to her eyes.

 _Breathe in, breathe out._

She took multiple breaths and tugged at the strands of her hair. She must look really stupid right now. Her eyes were glassy, but no tears fell.

 _Questions. Questions. Questions._

M.C. hated being the center of attention. Having attention set at you means questions. She hated being questioned, too. Especially when they come all at once. She feels suffocated and humiliated and stupid and inadequate and doubtful and—all those things are already at the back of her mind without the incessant interrogation.

Hands shaking. Stomach churning. Heart pumping. Palms sweating.

She tugged hard at her hair.

 _This is such a joke…_

 _Okay, focus. Do what you need to do._

She sniffed and brought out her pack of _Frutos._ Candy always cheered her up. After finishing the treat, she got her phone. "Hello? I need a favor, and I need it ASAP…"

* * *

Their outburst, thankfully, did not attract any more attention from the dwindling crowd.

Jaehee checked her watch, _10:36 Pm…if my watch even functions…_

A game. How absurd.

Yet…

"That was uncalled for." V said, at last. "We were supposed to talk about this like adults."

Yoosung glared at him, "Don't start, V."

"How could you stay calm like this?" Seven added, "The woman just told us that we're characters from a game!"

"And that is not her fault," Jumin finally talked. He just finished his sixth chicken piece and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "We should be thankful that she even told us, instead of keeping us in the dark."

"But she said it so…mockingly. Like this is some kind of joke!" Yoosung exclaimed. Jaehee gave him a stare and he slumped back at his seat.

"I think she wasn't supposed to say it like that. You saw how surprised she was when she blurted it out." V argued. "And that is not the right way to treat a lady, either. Especially one who just fed us."

Yoosung and Seven looked down guiltily.

V turned to Zen, "And you…you are wearing her shirt."

Zen sighed. He hated this sickening feeling in his stomach. _I can't believe I just raised my voice at a lady. How stupid of me._ "I'll get her."

"No need."

They looked up at M.C.

She looked horrible.

"Was the wind strong outside?" Jumin asked. He was on his seventh piece.

M.C. sat down and grabbed the bucket from Jumin, "You're hilarious. And that's your last piece." She turned to Seven. "Do I look that bad?"

Seven had the gall to blush. "N-no." he cleared his throat. "M.C…I'm sorry. I should not have screamed at you like that. I…" he stopped and looked at M.C.

She laughed and patted his head. Her red-rimmed eyes crinkled in amusement. "It's fine—"

"M.C.! I AM SO SORYY! I WAS OUT OF LINE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!" Yoosung stood up, ramrod straight, and proceeded bowing at her. "NOTHING CAN EXCUSE MY RUDE BEHAVIOR!"

M.C. also stood up and grabbed Yoosung's shoulders. They were gathering attention now. "It's alright, Yoosung—"

"No it's not." Zen suddenly kneeled before her. "As a handsome and honorable knight, I am most ashamed of how I treated such a princess—"M.C. glared,"—err, warrior with disrespect."

"I told you guys, it is fine. I understand and—"

"No, M.C.!"

"But—"

"No, it's not alright!" they exclaimed.

Her eye twitched.

"ALRIGHT, FINE! IT WAS DOWNRIGHT RUDE OF YOU, THAT'S RIGHT! HOW CAN YOU UP AND QUESTION ME LIKE THAT, HUH?! IT SLIPPED! _AKSIDENTE!_ YOU DO NOT GET TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, YOU HEAR ME?! GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG FOR MERCY!"

The beast roared.

Jumin paled. Jaehee gaped. V sweated. Yoosung, Seven and Zen kneeled immediately. "Uh…s-sorry?"

M.C. caught her breath and sat down again. "Forgiven. There's your outburst. You can sit now." She sniffed and grabbed a chicken leg. She stared at them blankly as she chewed, "Can we continue talking?"

They stared at her and nodded, dumbfounded.

M.C. turned her attention to her phone that just vibrated then. "Oh! Hold that thought, we need to leave now." She packed her belongings and stood up. _All these interruptions aren't clearing anything up, really…_

"Wh—where are we heading?" Yoosung's voice shook unintentionally when he asked. And he thought it was bad when Jaehee got mad.

"I booked you guys a place to rest." She hiked her backpack across her shoulders. "It's not like I can just leave you to sleep in the streets. I just got the confirmation text. Let's be on our way."

* * *

If it was still early, M.C. would have suggested they take the train.

But it was well into the night, and the stations are already closed. They cannot take the cab, as a taxi can only ride up to four people. Splitting is not an option. So M.C. chose the next best thing.

A UV van.

They exited KFC, not without take out of course ("I do not understand why you cannot buy one more bucket. If I had money, I would have bought it for my own. But the problem is I do not. If I were your boyfriend, I am sure you would have conceded already. And I—" "Alright, Jumin! I'll buy you one more bucket! Now will you shut up?" A smirk. A smack. Two buckets.), crossed the street ("OHMERGHED THAT CAR ALMOST RAN INTO ME! Hey you bastard, it's a red light!" "Just cross the street!"), and waited at the intersection.

"What are we waiting for?" Seven asked. He was getting itchy, he really wanted a shower right now.

M.C. looked at the passing cars. "A UV van to SM North."

"That sounds like an outer space thing, I like it."

Jumin snorted again. Zen glared at him, "What is it with you?"

"What is it with these letters?"

"Alright!" M.C. waved at an approaching white van with a yellow plate card. The sign at the front says, 'SM North, Trinoma, Proj. 6'

M.C. opened the door. "Get in."

"…"

"Uhm…"

"Is this…?"

"Woah, here?"

"…Well—"

"No."

M.C. growled. "I am leaving you if you don't get in. And I am taking the chicken with me."

They proceeded to go in the van immediately.

After much fuss, ("I understand for Jaehee, but why do _you_ get to sit there?" "And why not? I am a chief executive, and Assistant Kang is my secretary…and yeah, she is also apparently a woman." "…Apparently?" "Hey, technically, we're all unemployed here." "I'm sitting at the back. Don't wanna sit with that jerk." "You are the youngest, so you guys get to sit at the back." "V, that's unfair!" "Well—" "JUST GET IN THE DAMN CAR!") M.C. took the shotgun seat. Jumin, Jaehee and V ended up in the middle seat. Zen, Seven and Yoosung sat at the back.

M.C. looked at her guests through the back view mirror. She actually felt sorry for them.

With Filipinos usually being shorter and smaller than most foreign identities, fitting ten to eighteen people (depending on its size) in a UV van is actually possible. With a lot of squeezing. And half a butt not sitting too. And limited breathing also.

But for grown Korean adults? That's just hilarious.

They look exactly that.

Due to their tall build, those in the middle seat had to seat sideways to avoid their knees hitting the back of the front seats. The foreheads of those at the back seats are almost touching their knees.

M.C. can feel their discomfort.

It's practically oozing.

And the glare that Jumin is giving her is not actually helping.

She paid for the whole passenger load of the van, and added a tip in exchange for a favor, "I'll pay for the rest of the seats, _Manong._ But could you drop us off at Tandang Sora? It's not much far out of the way to SM North and…"

While M.C. was negotiating with the driver, Jumin grumbled under his breath, "You mean there are more people that are supposed to sit here?" V shrugged.

Zen whispered. "How long do you think this will take? I think my spine has just been dislocated." They hit a road bump that made the car jump. His forehead hit his knees. "Ow!"

Yoosung sniffed, "I have muscle cramps everywhere." The van came to a sudden stop. Inertia threw Yoosung at Seven. "Sorry!"

Seven scratched at his head, "Probably an hour or so? I checked the maps." He was fiddling with his phone.

"You look comfortable." Zen commented to Seven. His head hit the back cushion of the middle sit, which made Jumin direct his glare from M.C. to Zen. He glared back.

Seven waved his hand offhandedly. "I'm sort of used to this."

V chuckled. He was trying hard not to dig his knee to M.C.'s back seat. "Probably because he watches porn like that. Hunched shoulders, bowed head, curled legs, and all…"

"I do not watch porn!"

"Oh, ew, Seven! I'll just sit with Zen…"

"No can do, bro. I can barely fit my legs here, can't you see?!"

"Mr. Han, do you mind moving a bit? My arms are trapped between my body and V's, and I don't want to make this anymore uncomfortable for any of us."

"Assistant Kang, don't be absurd. As you can see, we clearly have no more room for your request to be done."

"Jumin, your leg is on the seat. You're practically squishing them together!"

"My legs are getting numb."

"All of us are!"

"Don't act so innocent! I bet all of us here have watched _at least one not-so-innocent-scene_?!"

"Well—"

"Oh thank you so much, _Manong!_ May God bless you and your kind soul!" M.C. clapped her hands and grinned happily.

"May you be blessed with a bigger car, sir."

M.C. glared at them. "Don't be rude!"

V sighed. "How further along do we need to go? And where are we heading?"

M.C. hugged her backpack with one hand, the other fiddled with her hair. "We are still a bit far. We are currently in Manila, heading to Quezon City." She turned to them. "The house I booked is located there, near my workplace. And it is fairly convenient, too."

"Workplace? How old are you?" Jaehee asked her.

"I am currently twenty years old, turning twenty-one in a few months." She tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"

Zen whistled. "I thought you were sixteen or younger! You don't look like an adult." He paused. "I was about to call you, _ne dongsaeng_ , but I guess I can use _jagiya_ now! But I think _ne sarang_ fits you better. Or maybe…"

"M.C.'s fine." She snapped. "And I'll take the age-thing as a compliment."

A pause. And then, "No, not all of us watch porn or any _not-so-innocent-scene_ here, Seven."

"No, M.C., it's not what you think!"

She scoffed, "Men." She yawned and rested her head at the car window.

"You seem tired, M.C. We are sorry for being a burden." Jaehee said. She felt a bit guilty of complaining now.

M.C. waved it off, "No, I'm fine. Just a bit sleepy. It is nearing midnight after all. And besides, I owe you guys, so…I'm sorry, again."

"No! Don't apologize, please!" Yoosung exclaimed.

Jumin sighed. "You have nothing to apologize for. We are still somehow strangers to each other. It is normal that our behavior and actions towards each other are deemed irrational."

M.C. stared back at him, "I don't know how to interpret what you said, but thanks anyway." Her phone vibrated, "Oh, I have to take this."

She opened her phone, _it's Sab._ "Hello?" the RFA went quiet and stared at the passing scenery through the windows of the van. Though they unsubtly leaned a bit to hear the conversation. Even the driver. M.C. gave them a weird stare.

" _Hey. I called Mama's friend. She said the place is okay now."_ Since everyone went quiet, the speaker can be heard throughout the van.

"Yes, I know. She sent me a text. I'm heading there, as we speak."

A shuffle. _"What is the house for anyway? You won't go home to Bulacan? And why so sudden?"_

She scratched at her temple. "Why do _you_ have so much questions? I needed a place to stay, somewhere near my work. And no, I won't be going home today. I have…an emergency."

" _Emergency? What happened? Are you okay?"_

"Geez…I'm fine. Concerned, are we?"

" _Well, of course!"_ A pause. _"You're on your way there? Just head here instead. Sleep here. I actually just finished cleaning my room, you know."_

A gasp. Probably seven of them. M.C. glared. "Eh… I can't."

" _Why not? Don't tell me you're still shy of coming here? Mama adores you. And you've slept here before."_

She sighed. "No, I can't. I won't be able to solve anything by coming there."

" _You're acting suspicious. Just come here. Choko and Lala miss you."_

"You're funny. But anyways, I still can't. I have a business emergency to attend to."

"… _Fine. But you have to tell me the reason eventually. Check-in was supposed to be tomorrow morning at ten. You're lucky that Mama knows the owner, and that the place is unoccupied. The things I do for you…"_

"I'll explain soon. Far in the future soon. And you owe me, bro. Don't nag me." she glared at the phone. "If you weren't stupid enough to—I don't know—keep secrets from me, then you wouldn't owe me anything at all!" her voice raised with every word. M.C. sighed. "…You know I hate calling in favors. I wouldn't have if I could avoid it."

It took a while for a reply _"…Hey, I was kidding. Okay, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean anything of it to happen like that."_ A sigh. _"I'm sorry. I'm just concerned. This is a pretty weird favor, you know. But fine, I won't press anymore. I know how you like your privacy. And I'm sorry again. I'll make it up to you. Let's go out soon, you and me. All out. No more secrets."_

The eavesdroppers are blushing now. M.C. scratched at her head. "Whatever. We still have apprenticeship work for now, let's focus on that. Anyway, thanks. And stop talking like that, I don't want any backstabbing to happen."

" _Backstabbing? Why?"_

A sigh. "Nevermind. Well, thanks again. And don't visit me there. I'll punch you."

The RFA winced. _"Yeah, alright, I won't. Don't punch me, please. I'll see you soon. Text me when you get there. And visit soon! Mama misses you."_

"Are you my dad, huh? Tell Auntie I miss her, too. Thanks again. Bye." She hung up.

…

"What?" M.C. gave them a blank stare.

Blink. Cough. Shuffle. Grunt. Whisper. Mumble.

"That your boyfriend, ma'am?" the driver questioned.

M.C. wrinkled her nose. "Ew, no, _manong._ That's just my classmate. He owed me a favor."

"' _Just my classmate?'_ Yeah, right." Zen scoffed.

Yoosung shoved Seven and leaned out to the middle seat. His cheeks were pink. "F-friend?! That can't be! And—and you slept there? Before? Is he—what did you—you can't!"

"You're not making any sense, Yoosung. Yes, he is my friend. And yes, I've slept there before—"

They stared at her maliciously.

"Sleeping at a single man's home is not appropriate, especially for a lady. Most especially if you're not married. I am against it." Jumin said bluntly.

"He's my friend, _kuya_. And why do I even have to explain this to you?!" she stared out the window. "Anyway, the dude owes me. I made him get you guys a place to stay. Good thing that it was available."

Jaehee cleared her throat, "That may be the case, M.C. But sleeping with a grown man, _in his room,_ isn't exactly appropriate."

"You will never know what might happen, M.C. A boy and a girl…" V started

"WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS!" she turned to them and glared. "And I slept there _with our other friends_. He's not my boyfriend. I don't like him, and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual. I'd rather die than—ew, just…ew." she sniffed.

Seven commented this time, "But he talks so—I don't know…like he's flirting or something. And who the hell is Choko and Lala?"

M.C. scoffed. "He talks like that to every girl he converses with. He'd probably talk the same if I make him talk with Jaehee." She gave a pointed look at Seven, "And Choko and Lala are the names of his pet dogs. I'm…not fond of dogs that much." She stared at the window and her voice took on a sad whisper. "Besides, I'm not likable. Not that way at least."

It got quiet then.

After a few more minutes of useless conversation, ("…so if you're not a dog person, then you must like cats?" "That's not how it goes, you know." "I luuuurrrrv cats, meow!" "…You're creeping me out." "That's a nice clock tower!" "Look! A theater building! You should check it out." "So that really wasn't your boyfriend?" "He must be ugly…" "I don't think that is anymore of our business, do you want to get hurt?" "That's your university? It looks pretty." "You people keep asking about the guy, you must be peanut-butter-and-jelly…" "Peanut and what-?" "You've never had peanut butter and jelly?" "WOAH! That dude just crossed the street just like that!" "He must be a ninja or something!" "…What?" "Do you still see with those on? It's already dark." "Are we there yet?" "I think my bones have suffered permanent damage."), they finally arrived.

M.C. thanked the driver and turned to their place for the night.

 _Alright, let's get this over with. And then get some shut eye._

* * *

 _Frutos._ A brand of chewy fruit-flavored candy in the Philippines.

 _Aksidente._ Can be translated as 'accident'. M.C. used it to refer to her sudden outburst of thought.

 _Manong._ Can also be _'Mang'_. Used to address the male elderly in the Philippines; can be translated as 'Uncle' or 'Old/Elder Man'.

 _Kuya._ Is what the older brother in the family is called. Can also be used to refer a male person older than oneself.

 **A/N:** And that is chapter 5.

Did anybody get the White Chicks reference? Sorry, it just came to me. I have watched the move for way too many times now, I couldn't resist.

SM North and Trinoma are big malls in Quezon City, and also the considered the Central Integrated Terminal of the place. Buses, jeepneys, UV vans and train stations are all connected at these two malls.

Manila is the capital city of the Philippines, and Quezon City is one of the known business and commercial districts in Luzon. Tandang Sora is in Quezon City.

And also, I had Miss Uniwide as a counterpart of Miss Universe in the RFA's world, just like fakebook is to facebook and tweeter to twitter.

Lastly, to those who reviewed, I decided to post the replies here instead:

 **Foxychan97:**

Hello! I apologize for this reply being late. You were the first one who reviewed for my story, and I just want to say that it really made me happy. Thank you so much! And I hope you like it as it goes by.

 **Mercedes1312:**

Hello! I am glad that you like the M.C. in this story. I try to make her natural as possible, so most can relate (even me). Though the mystery here is a light one (and still a mystery to me), I hope you enjoy it anyways. Thank you again! Your review really made me happy!

 **BeautifulyCool:**

Hello! I am glad that you like the story. Though I'll say now, the mystery here is not really that deep (though I admit, everything is a mystery to me also). But I hope you enjoy anyway!

The jeepney here in the Philippines is modeled after the US jeeps that the army used, except the seats at the back are parallel to each other, and longer. They can seat about 8-12 people, depending on the length of the parallel seats. They are open ventilated too. Jeepneys here follow routes, and the drivers can pickup and drop-off passengers along the way, within their route. M.C. will explain it more along the story.

UVs follow the same system, the only difference is the vehicles they use, which are air-conditioned vans. Their fare is more expensive than the jeepney, but not by much. A UV van can carry 10-18 passengers, depending on the van used. The part where the driver asked M.C. "SM North?" and she replied, "Yes, please." means that the driver is asking the passengers if anybody will get off at SM North.

Please don't hesitate to ask. And thank you again! I hope you enjoy the story more as it progresses. Though I apologize for the irregularities in the updates. Your reviews give me the courage to continue, so please don't hesitate to do so, also.

 **LadyRaven83:**

Hello! I am glad that you enjoy the concept of the story, too. I also haven't encountered that much fanfics that had the RFA in the real world, which is one of the reasons that I decided to pursue with this story. I haven't been to any other country outside the Philippines yet, so I am finding it hard to do comparisons, and to know which details and customs I should pay attention too.

I also want the readers to know more about the Philippines, as not much fanfiction is situated to be here. So thank you for expressing your appreciation. I would love the readers to know more about my M.C.'s home country.

I agree with the improvisation, as the overall location of the fanfic and M.C.'s character contributes greatly to the originality of the story. I also try to have situations that can actually happen in real life to have most relate more. Thank you and I hope to hear more from you, as well!

 **Chessekikijn:**

Hello! I am glad that you think so. I had to look up what _tsundere_ means and I had to laugh at that. M.C. in this story is kind of hostile, isn't she? But we'll get to know her more on the way. I hope you can be around for her and RFA's development.

I have only ever read stories here in Fanfictiondotnet, so I still do not know yet. I have not heard of Quotev yet, and Wattpad is quite a famous site here—a lot of my friends are in Wattpad, and I am sad to say that they do not know about my writing. If they were ever to stumble upon this story, I am afraid that they might pinpoint out who I am exactly, based on my form of writing, the places and M.C.'s character. Thank you for your support!

* * *

Salamat po!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Hello! And here is Chapter 6!

I will say now, updates may start to slow from now on. I am currently not feeling good about myself and what I am doing lately. I am currently in that stage where I think everything is meaningless and hopeless, so I would like to spend some free time thinking about what I should do from now on.

I apologize for this, since the story is five chapters in and with slow build-up. I will try, though.

But anyway, I would like to thank you for the views, follows, favorites and reviews that you guys continue to grace this story with! Again, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Rated T for language and M.C.'s temper.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: In which things get serious…a bit  
**_

* * *

The owner, Oliver, had waited for them outside and talked to M.C. about the accommodations. She was pleasant to deal with, and only a few years older than M.C. herself. Oliver explained that it was a family business—her parents started it for their love of travel. And now they have various houses scattered in the country to accommodate guests. M.C. took note when she said that some of the houses are for sale too. Once payment and everything was settled, they made their way inside.

The house was nice and compact. The entrance door opens to a small foyer. To the front of the foyer is an L-shaped stairway to the second floor. Beside the stairway is the door to a bathroom. To the left of the foyer is a short hallway that leads to an open-layout living, dining and kitchen areas, illuminated at day by floor-to-ceiling windows that takes up the back of the house, with a glass sliding door leading to a covered laundry area.

The living area consists of an L-shaped couch, two arm chairs, a coffee table, two side tables with lamps, a split-type ACU, an electric fan, a television and DVD set and scattered are homey knickknacks. A chandelier attached to the ceiling lights up the place at night. Pin lights are situated at the corners to avoid shadows. A dark green carpet adorns the floor. A storage room is located beneath the stairs, to the right of the living area.

The dining area has a rectangular dining table with six chairs, complete with necessary eating utensils. There is also an electric fan to the side. A small hanging lamp lights the area, and there are wall-mounted warm lights to give an accentuated lighting. There is also a split-type ACU at one wall, above a table adorned with different glass figures.

The kitchen contains a sink, a range, an oven, a microwave oven, a toaster, a water dispenser, a coffeemaker and a refrigerator in smooth colors of white, gray, black and silver; there are overhead cabinets, and drawers beneath the counter containing necessary cooking and baking utensils, pots, trays and pans. There are lights beneath the overhead cabinets that illuminate the working and cooking area, while a ceiling fan with a central light bulb hangs at the center of the kitchen, ventilating and illuminating the whole of the area. There is also a mini bar counter with three stools that serves as a semi-divider between the kitchen and the dining area.

The second floor contains two bedrooms, one bathroom and a loft. Quarter of the second floor area is open to below. The first bedroom, near the stairs, contains one twin-sized bed, two side tables with lamps, a split-type ACU, an electric fan and a closet. Opposite the door of the first bedroom is the second larger bedroom, containing a double-decker bed, and one twin-sized bed overhead the closet. The second bedroom also has a split-type ACU, a wall-mounted electric fan, two working desks with chairs, and shelves along one side of the wall. Nestled between these two rooms is the bathroom with a sink a mirror, counter with drawers, a toilet and a small bathtub with a shower above. There is also an elevated shelf housing different bars of soap, bottles of body wash, hair products and mouthwash, toothbrushes and two tubes of toothpaste. A rack of towels is set to the side. The bathroom below has the same.

The loft is an open area that can be made into a semi-private room with movable panels. It is currently open and overlooking the living room below. There is a long desk situated at the edge of the loft that overlooks the living area below. A plush carpet covers the floor and there are sleeping bags and mats scattered around the area. The wall opposite the edge is aligned with a book shelf, the wall to its left has a wall-mounted ceiling fan, and the wall to its right has windows starting at about-head height and ends at the ceiling.

All of the walls were done in either a white or light cream color, the floor of dark wood panels, the ceiling of light wood panels. Wood patterns were adorned along some ornaments. Simple and airy. Light and spacious. Scented candles are lighted and scattered around the different areas of the house, the scent of jasmine giving of a light and relaxing fragrance.

M.C. described this all in her head. _As an aspiring architect—_

Her thoughts was disrupted why a whistle. "Not bad, I say."

She glared at Seven and turned back to her guests. They were stretching their limbs and cracking their joints. She winced. "Yeah, alright. Let's go and get settled."

"Nothing much to settle, sweetheart. As you can see, we don't really have much baggage with us." Zen quipped.

"Well, you have a point." M.C. contemplated. "Alright, everybody off to the dining area." She looked at their shoes. "Oh, wait!"

She took of her own shoes, settled them by the door and went to the storage room. When she came back, she was wearing a pair of white slippers, with six more pairs in her arms. She handed a pair to each of the RFA members. "Leave your shoes, there, by the door. And wear these." She put her hands on her hips after she distributed all the slippers. "It's to avoid dust, dirt and such. You do that too, right?"

Jumin studied the slippers carefully. V elbowed him in the ribs, "Just don't say anything, Jumin. If you want the chicken, just do as she says." Jumin sighed and got his shoes off to put the slippers on.

Zen dropped his shoes on top of Jumin's pair. "Oops, sorry." He snickered.

Jumin kicked his shoes off to the side and gave him a dirty look, "You must really like me. You go to different ways just to get my attention." He smirked.

"Shut up! You're disgusting!" Zen snarled.

Jaehee sighed and put her shoes a distance from the others, "I suggest you put those into order before M.C. gets mad again."

"We usually use the covered type, but these are more comfortable." Yoosung grinned.

M.C. smiled back at him then turned to everyone else, "Alright, to the dining room, kiddies. Go, go."

"Yes, mama!" Seven grinned cheekily. M.C. slapped him on the head.

V sat at the head of the table, with Jumin on the opposite side. On V's left side sat Zen, next to him is Jaehee. Opposite Zen, sat Seven, and beside him Yoosung.

M.C. filled a pitcher with cold water and sat it in the center table, along with the KFC takeout. She prayed for the blessings, grabbed a chicken leg, and gave a small hop to sit on the counter, facing the RFA members.

"So…" she started.

Zen cleared his throat. "How long do we get to stay here?"

M.C. bowed her head, "Not very long. I…I can only afford probably three to four nights in this house. I don't exactly make any money, I'm still a student after all…I—"

"No, please. Don't apologize or anything. We are already indebted enough." Seven intervened. He picked at his fries. "Here we are, grown adults, yet we still depend on a girl _younger_ than us to get us by." He sighed.

"I agree. You have done enough." V followed. He took a sip of water and wiped his mouth before speaking again. "But…I know, and you know, that we still need your help regarding the situation that we are in."

"And that situation, is what we wish to clarify and get more details on, M.C." Jumin turned to her.

M.C. shrugged her shoulders and stared at the ground. "Alright. I'll tell you what I know."

They nodded.

"But—"

They tensed.

M.C. stared back at them. "I need honesty here. I don't want any stupid secrets. Kept from me, or any of us." She gave a pointed look at V. "I hate not knowing the truth and being kept in the dark."

V paused before nodding. "Okay, M.C."

She sighed and hopped off her perch. She fetched herself a glass of water and leaned her hip next to the counter. "As of a few weeks ago, I knew all of you as game characters from this phone app called 'MysticMessenger'. It's sort of like a dating app, where the player gets to chat with pretty boys." She coughed and scratched at the back of her neck. "It follows the time according to the phone, and needs internet connection to play. It is exactly like a messenger app, but the player's responses to your chats are programmed. The events will vary on those responses. And there are different routes for the each of you, except V."

She decided to pause to gauge their reactions. They were all staring at her intently. "Please, go on." V said.

She bit on her chicken, chewed slowly, and swallowed. "It spans a whole of eleven days, ten days for building up to the final day—the day of the party. The first to fourth day will be for choosing the character the player wants to end up with. The fifth to tenth day will depend on the character chosen, there are events and chat bubbles that will appear and occur to give the player more insight on the character. If the player gives replies that favor the character chosen, there can be a happy ending at the end of the party. If not, then a bad ending, maybe even in the middle of the game.

"The game will start off with 'Unknown' and all that jazz that I told you on the first day you…met me on chat. That part is _actually true_. The part about being in Rika's apartment isn't. The whole time you thought I was in her apartment, I'm actually here, living my own life…" she sniffed and bit on her chicken again. "MysticMessenger is an app by Cheritz and currently has about a million players."

M.C. looked at them, "It was working fine earlier. As you can probably remember, I even participated in the chat before lunchtime. But when I checked again this late afternoon, the game suddenly bugged out. I thought it was a glitch. Then when I got to the dorm, you were there."

She opened her phone and showed the RFA the app icon, "That's the icon over there. But now…" she pressed on it, but the pop-up said, _'Unfortunately, MysticMessenger just stopped'_. Seven held his hand and M.C. gave him the phone. She turned back to her perch on the counter after disposing her chicken bone. "I checked while we were in the UV, and apparently, everybody using it is complaining of the game not functioning. And I think it's due to…" here, she waved her hand at them. "…you being here."

Silence.

Seven stared hard at the phone and gave a laugh, "Look! I'm the icon of the gaaaaaame!"

M.C. slapped her forehead.

"What? No way!" Zen grabbed the phone and gasped when he saw it true. Yoosung peeked over and said, "Why you?! You're not…well no offense, you look like a creeper."

Jaehee looked at them funny, "How could anybody not take offense in that?"

Jumin asked, "Why is Luciel the face of the game?"

"There was a supposed storyline for the game. It doesn't really need to be followed, but it was suggested to give the player the…well, best gaming experience. I haven't finished the game. I only played up to the fourth day, which is today. But it was supposed to go as Zen, Yoosung, Jaehee, Jumin then Seven. All the mystery is with him." M.C. replied. This is the part that she dreads. "It's probably because the plots twist around his route."

They went quiet again.

Zen handed the phone back to M.C. "I feel like I've been played."

M.C. gave him a humorless smile, "Well, technically, you have been."

"No wonder you seem…different from what we perceive you to be. From the chat, at least." Jaehee commented.

Seven coughed and Yoosung blushed. M.C. gave them a weird look, "What's wrong with you two?"

"N-nothing!" They chorused.

M.C. wrinkled her nose at them, then she turned to V, "You've been quiet. I want you to share your thoughts, please."

V turned to her. A challenge.

 _Truth. Honesty._

 _Please let them know._

 _Please let us know._

 _Please let us help._

 _A challenge._

 _A hand._

 _Will you take it?_

V hesitated. _I…_

* * *

He took of his sunglasses.

Even M.C. failed to suppress her gasp.

Yoosung was the one who spoke up, a look of disbelief expressed in his features, "V…what—what happened to your eyes?"

The color of V's eyes were nearing white, the hue of aqua blue that it used to be is starting to fade. There are angry marks bordering his eyes. "I..."

He stared at M.C.

She stared back.

Even with his blurred eyesight, he can feel her eyes boring into his. He wishes he can see them more clearly. Maybe he can get more courage by doing so.

"I got into an accident. A few months before. I got sever cornea damage, and in a few more months, I will go completely blind." He cleared his throat. "But for now, I can still see with help of special lens…though not as clear anymore. I can't see any more beyond where M.C. is perched right now. And…things get blurry every now and then."

Zen turned to M.C., "You know about this, too?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes…Well, I did a bit of research after playing the first day of the game…" she trailed off.

They all tensed and paled. They all stared wide-eyed at her. Jumin actually looked disturbed and spoke up. "What you had said earlier, about being honest and true, does that mean you will—"

She stood up straight and walked to the table. "I…I know some things about every one of you that the others probably don't." she looked every one of them in the eye, "I just wanted to let you guys realize that there have been secrets and lies going on around the RFA. And with those, I just think that working on this situation would be difficult if it goes on.

"I just wanted to make the issue verbalized, recognized and known. I have no intention of telling anything that isn't mine to tell. Those are to be told at your time, at your comfort. I only hope that we can address these issues one-by-one along the way..." M.C. trailed off again and looked down at her slippers. She fiddled with her hair. She suddenly felt unsure now. _Maybe this was a bad idea. This seemed to intimate and out-of-line. Maybe I should have just—_

"Thank you."

She looked up.

Jumin nodded at her. "What you said, is actually true. I am pretty sure that we have already known about there being secrets in RFA. I am a keeper of them myself. What you did…I also think it is right."

"Finding out that you know things about us will no doubt make us uncomfortable, but…you saying it honestly and bringing the issue out in the open makes me…trust you." Jaehee gave her a grateful look.

Yoosung rubbed at his neck. "So…you probably know that I'm not actually blonde, huh?" he laughed nervously. "I also do not like being kept in the dark. I…thank you, for this chance you gave us."

Zen grabbed both of M.C.'s hand, which had her look at him. "RFA is special to each of us here. But I guess we forgot that along the way, and we started feeling like strangers to each other again." He smiled dazzlingly at her. "But you…one day with you had us feeling all sorts of things."

M.C., of course, smacked him. "Yeah, stop it. I didn't do anything special. It's all you guys."

Seven stared at her. "You are something, M.C. No wonder that Sab dude seemed fond of you."

…

M.C. glared at Seven. "I never told you his name! When did you—"she gasped and pointed a finger at him. "You little—you scrolled through my phone!"

He scratched at his cheek with a finger and laughed nervously, "S-sorry, can't help myself. It's all hacker instincts, I swear!"

M.C. marched to Seven and grabbed his collar. She growled and pulled her fist back, "Instincts?! I'll show you instinct—"

A laugh.

They all turned to V.

He was laughing. Seven, too. And then Yoosung followed, then Zen. Jaehee chuckled and even Jumin gave a small toothy smile.

M.C. just stared at them, slack-jawed.

They really were beautiful.

She smiled a gentle smile.

 _And I will do what I can to help. To have anyone happy like this again._

She will make it so.

* * *

After they had their midnight meal, they cleaned up and settled at the living room. Jumin and V each sat at the armchairs. Jaehee, Zen and Yoosung was lounging at the couch. Seven was currently in the bathroom.

And M.C. was working the ACU.

"How do you turn this damn thing on?!" she growled at the remote.

"Hand it over, sweetheart." Zen held up his hand.

M.C. glared and threw it hard at his head.

If Zen didn't have fast reflexes, he would have gained another painful bump.

Luckily, he caught the remote. Which only seemed to infuriate M.C. even further.

Zen laughed and pressed a few buttons.

The ACU turned on.

M.C. directed her glare from Zen to the ACU. "Stupid technology…" she grumbled under her breath.

"You could blast that thing off the face of the planet with that stare." Seven piped up. He just came out of the bathroom, happy to finally have showered.

M.C. threw her slipper at him.

Unluckily, Seven didn't have reflexes like those of Zen.

The slipper hit him square on the face.

Finally satisfied of hitting something—someone, she sat down at the floor. The carpet was soft under her fingers. _I can just sleep here, right now…_ "So, should we continue or what?"

Seven rubbed at his sore face and plumped next to Zen on the couch. Zen handed him the cold compress from earlier. Jaehee handed M.C. the slipper that she threw and said, "I think that we have learned enough for today."

Yoosung stopped at his snickering at Seven and followed, "I think so, too. All we heard of today…I think we need to contemplate and process it more on our own, for now."

"Besides, it's a good time to end the night." Zen added. He checked his watch. "Or rather, good time to end the early morning…"

M.C. checked at her own watch. _1:30 Am. Shoot._

"So…who gets to sleep where?" Jumin asked.

All went silent.

M.C. stood up and put her hands on her hips. "There are two bedrooms upstairs, and there are sleeping mats on the loft. I say that Jaehee gets the first bedroom, then V, Jumin and Zen get the second bedroom, and Yoosung and Seven get to sleep on the loft."

"Why does Jaehee get a room to herself? And why do we get to sleep in the loft?" Seven grumbled.

"Because she's a grown woman, genius. And you and Yoosung are the youngest amongst your group." She grinned. "Give a chance to your grandpas there."

Yoosung and Seven laughed.

Jumin scoffed, "I am not a 'grandpa'."

M.C. continued, "Besides, I would guess that Jumin wants a bed of his own. So he can get the single bed atop the closet in the second bedroom, then V and Zen can take the double decker."

"Where will you sleep then, M.C.?" V asked. He hasn't gone this long without sunglasses for a while now.

She sniffed, "I'll take the couch, of course."

Zen jumped out of his seat, "What? You can't take the couch!"

M.C. turned to him, "And why not? I don't see your name anywhere on the said furniture!"

Yoosung and Seven were now clutching their stomachs.

"You insisted on Jaehee getting a room and a bed for her own since she is a lady. Well, you're one too!" Zen argued. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Just kick Jumin out to the loft and sleep with me instead."

Jaehee rubbed at her temples.

Jumin coughed and V bit his lip.

Yoosung and Seven choked on their breaths.

M.C. stared blankly at Zen.

And Zen paled. Then he turned bright red. His eyes widened and he held up his hands in front of his body and waved frantically. "N-NO! That's not what I meant! What I mean to say was—"

"I'm too tired to make anything of what you said right now." She sighed. "So count yourself lucky. And I don't want to get blood on my shirt."

Zen gulped and nodded.

Jumin decided for that moment to say something stupid. "You know, it is usually the lady who wears the shirt of the man after an escapade—ompf!"

M.C. threw a pillow at his face and continued speaking. "I need to get up early tomorrow, too. And I prefer to sleep alone."

"That's not how it is with Sab." Yoosung piped in.

"Can we please stop talking about him? He's my friend!"

"And what are we, then?" Zen asked.

She sighed. "You're my good-looking guests. Big difference." She reached into her bag and grabbed a piece of paper and pen. She scribbled something on the paper and set it on the coffee table. "This is my phone number. I have to go to my apprenticeship work tomorrow so I'll leave you guys for the morning. But I only have a half day so I'll be back by lunchtime. After I get back, we can talk more on what we need to do for the duration of your stay here."

She got her wallet from her bag and pulled a small flat chip out of its pockets. "This is my old sim card. Yours probably aren't functioning here. So use this instead, when there is a need to call me." She settled it with the piece of paper on the coffee table.

M.C. then pointed to the second floor. "I asked Oliver for spare clothes too, there are probably a few shirts and pants upstairs." She then pointed to the kitchen. "She also said there are food supplies in the kitchen since I booked the place for four nights, but the fresh food will only probably be enough until the afternoon of the next day." They nodded at her.

Jumin picked up the paper from the coffee table. He smirked. "Ah, Mariel Cecilie is what M.C. stands for then?"

M.C. blushed and said in a small voice, "Right! I forgot to introduce myself properly, with the shenanigans and all. Yeah, my full name is Mariel Cecilie Morevaz. I'm twenty years old, and an architecture student." She fidgeted with her hair strands.

Zen grinned. "Ah…Mariel, such a lovely name. Can I—?"

"No, M.C.'s fine." She snapped.

V chuckled and stood up. "Well, I think that's enough for today, yeah? Let's get settled and leave Mariel to her rest."

M.C. punched him on the shoulder.

All of them stood up and made their way upstairs. V rubbed his shoulder and whispered to Jumin, "That really does hurt."

"I heard that!"

Zen turned to M.C., "I really feel bad about letting you sleep on the couch. It's not a very gentlemanly thing to do."

She waved him off. "It's fine, really. I'm no lady exactly, and I can practically sleep anywhere right now." She yawned.

Zen looked at her funnily before patting her head. "Alright cu—err M.C., have a good rest. I hope you sleep well, then." He blew her a kiss.

He got a punch too, in return.

Yoosung chirped from behind her, "If you ever get uncomfortable, you could always crash with us upstairs!"

M.C. turned to face him, "No need to be polite, Yoosung. But thanks anyway. I'm fine here, really." She grabbed the cold compress from Seven. "Don't be a baby, now. I'll put this in the freezer. Up you go!" she ushered them upstairs.

Jaehee came up last. "Thank you again, M.C."

M.C. smiled at her. "It's nothing, Jaehee. We got to stick together and fight all that testosterone, you know?"

The brunette gave a small laugh before replying, "Yes, alright. Good night!"

She sighed and waited until everybody settled down. When the lights are all turned off, she went to the bathroom to freshen up. When she got out, she saw V at the kitchen.

"Don't tell me you're still hungry? After all that chicken?" M.C. asked incredulously. She went to her bag and fixed her stuff.

V turned and gave a small smile. "No, just making a cup of tea before bed. Do you want me to fix you one?"

"Nah," M.C. waved him off. "Tea tends to keep me awake. And I really need to sleep now." She yawned again.

He took a sip off his tea and his sight settled on her. "I really want to thank you again, M.C. What you are doing for us, is more than enough. We are deeply sorry for intruding."

M.C. walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. "It's fine. The situation…none of us anticipated this to happen. Let's just do what we can right now, alright?" she turned to him. "I want to thank you, too. For taking the first step."

V was stared at his tea before looking up at her. "No, M.C. You're the one who took the first step. I just…followed."

"Well, you don't have to follow anything or anyone, anymore. Let's all take that next step, yeah?" M.C. scratched at her head and yawned again. "Well, I'm off to bed now. 'Bout to collapse any second. G'night."

V watched her plop down on the couch. He finished his tea and washed the mug. He turned off the lights and made his way upstairs. Once at the second floor, he looked over the railing and at the sleeping form on the couch.

Someone poked his side.

He turned to find Seven's grinning face in front of him. "Still up?" V questioned, "I thought you would have crashed in by now."

"Was just about too. But then my insides tingled and I thought of offering M.C. the space at the loft again. But," he looked down and chuckled, "she already seemed settled so, I'll go and sleep now." He nudged V on the ribs. "You better rest up too, V. We've got an even longer day ahead of us in a few hours."

"Yes, alright. Goodnight."

V crept into the bedroom and settled under the covers at the bottom bed of the double-decker. He can hear Zen shuffling. He looked over the side and saw Jumin staring out the window. _It will seem that none of us will get to sleep just yet…_

Their lives outside the game…begin now.

…

Well, technically…it already began a few hours ago.

But, yeah. You get the point.

* * *

 **A/N:** It took six chapters to finish half a day in the story! Again, this story is focused on M.C. and her developing relationships with the RFA. So expect lengthy conversations, heartfelt moments, sarcastic remarks, and bits of physical violence. I'll try not to dwell to long on each day (key word: _try_ ).

I hope you guys can continue to support this story. Thank you!

And, to:

 **BeautifulyCool**

Hey, thanks! I didn't know Kyoya Hibari has the same voice actor as Jumin Han, now I keep imagining Jumin saying "kamikorosu" and I just laugh. The KFC, I just had to put it in, you know? I mean, come on, its _fried chicken_. Lol. Anyway, thank you again! I hope I answered your question about the jeepney and UV van. Your reviews and support give me the strength to continue. Salamat!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Hey guys. So here is the seventh chapter. I have thought about the story, and I think it will probably have four arcs—I don't know, is that too many? Four arcs, with probably fifteen to twenty chapters, each. If that's how it is then this story would have sixty to eighty chapters, all-in-all.

Too much? But that could still change, depending on what road the story will take, actually.

So the first arc concerns the beginning, introduction and settling down of the RFA members, where M.C. will start to build her bonds with each of them without the pretense of screens and programmed responses. Second arc would see them settled and handling everyday events then. And hopefully, more humor too. Also, a surprise. Third arc will delve deeper to their situation and may be more serious. Then fourth will conclude and all that.

All in a span of two to three and a half years.

Why? Because my life is a mess.

I should have probably had this written at the first chapter…

Anyways! Still fixing my life. And school is coming in a few days, so I will be occupied then. I can only hope to manage everything then. I ask for your support, and know that I am much grateful for it. Any questions that you guys have, I will be more than happy to answer them to the best that I can.

Also, if there is any of you that may have some tips and advice for writing humor, it will be very much appreciated. I wanted this to be light, with bits of drama yeah, but something humorous too, you know? But I think that I am still struggling with that.

Thank you for the favorites, follows, views and reviews, guys! You help greatly in keeping this going.

Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7: In which the RFA has nothing better to do than chitchat  
**_

* * *

The sunlight peered through the drawn curtains, illuminating the room in its natural and bright glory.

M.C. growled and kept her eyes shut close. She rubbed her face and turned to her other side.

"I guess what they say about girls looking their best in the morning is all bull, huh?"

"She sounded just like a beast awakened form its slumber."

"Did you think she scowled all throughout her sleep?"

 _What the…?_

She opened her eyes to find three faces peering down at her.

It is not the tousled hair or the fresh flush on the cheeks that makes a girl beautiful in the morning.

It is the dazed and innocent look that their eyes take on when they first open after a slumber—that look which catches the attention, makes a heart flutter, and takes a breath away.

Jumin, Zen and Seven had a second to realize that and stare, before those eyes gave them a menacing glare.

They flinched.

M.C. felt for her phone beneath the pillow and checked for the time. _7:03 Am_. She groaned. _So much for waking up early…_

"M.C., time to get up! You might be late for your apprenticeship!" Yoosung called from behind her perch, in the direction of the dining area.

A pillow flew its way over and hit his head.

A mumbled " _Shut up!_ " can be heard from the couch.

Seven snickered and poked M.C. on her shoulder. "Yoosung's right, mama. Time to get up and go to work so you can earn money for your babies!"

Waking the beast is never a good thing.

A few minutes later found V and Zen working in the kitchen, Jaehee and Jumin seated at the dining area, and Yoosung and Seven lounging on the couch—the latter holding the cold compress to his cheek. The television was turned on to the morning news.

M.C. stepped out of the bathroom, a towel twisted with her hair atop her head. She had a black zip-up shirt and a pair of jeans on. She went to her bag, fixed her stuff and got her comb. She turned the electric fan on and proceeded to dry comb her hair, all the while texting with her phone.

The RFA just stared at her.

"Now that I see it closer, her hair does look silky soft…" Yoosung whispered to Seven.

Seven raised a thumbs up.

M.C. adorned her rosary bracelet on her left wrist, then her watch on her left. She wore her socks and hooked her bag over her shoulders.

"M.C., you're not having breakfast?" Jaehee called out.

"Oh, I'll just have some bread on the way there." M.C. answered as she headed to the hallway.

Zen caught her arm before she got to her shoes. "Woah, leaving for work and not having breakfast? I don't think so." He tugged on her arm. "C'mon, V and I prepared breakfast for everyone. We are just about finished. Surely you can spare a few more minutes for a meal?" he gave her a pleading look.

"You let a guy with difficulties in his eyesight prepare food?" she asked incredulously.

Zen huffed, "He insisted. Now eat. Don't let poor nearly-blind V's effort go to waste."

"I will pretend that I didn't hear anything." V said from the kitchen.

M.C. tugged back on her arm and frowned at him. "Alright, alright. Just…don't look at me like that."

Zen grinned, "Why? Do I look cute when I stare at you like that? Does your heart flutter?"

M.C. gave him a blank look, "No. You make me feel like I just kicked a stray puppy when you look at me like that."

The smile on Zen's face dropped immediately and he tapped her hard on the forehead. "Whatever. Just get some breakfast."

Jaehee helped V settle the plates around the table. M.C. sat down next to Jumin, facing the television. She called out to Yoosung and Seven, "Aren't you going to eat?"

Yoossung answered, "Don't mind us, M.C.!" Seven turned back, "We already grabbed a bite while you were at the bathroom. Enjoy your meal, mama!" he ducked his head immediately.

M.C. just sighed and turned to the food prepared in front of her. One plate contained sunny-side up eggs, the plate next to it has slices off ham. There was also a bowl of sliced fruit, and a glass tray of vegetable salad. A box of Koko Krunch and a box of Honey Stars are seated at the counter, along with a box of fresh milk.

She can also smell coffee brewing, and suddenly remembered her box of tea at her bag. She went for her it and returned to the table with the tea in hand when she was met with a bowl of…?

V looked at her nervously. He decided to leave his sunglasses off for today too. "We sort of messed up the rice."

M.C. stared at the bowl. _This is supposed to be rice?_ "'Sort of?' This looks like porridge!"

Zen scratched at the back of his neck, "We couldn't get the texture right, and so we added more water. Then this happened…"

She stared confusedly, "Texture?" she stared a bit more before realization dawned on her. "Oh! This isn't sticky rice. We rarely eat that type of rice here. That's why we use the spoon and fork often."

V and Zen nodded slowly.

"Anyways! The rest of the food looks great. Let's eat!"

* * *

After M.C. gave them a few friendly reminders ("You better not touch my stuff, you hear me? I'll know if you do." "Make sure to throw the trash properly if you don't want me stuffing them up to your faces." "Do not—and I repeat—do not leave this house, or else, I will do something unpleasant, so unpleasant that just thinking about it gives me unpleasant feelings."), she got her shoes on and fled of to work, Jaehee waving her off.

The door shut and they breathed sigh of relief.

"Finally! I thought she'd never leave." Seven grumbled and plopped back on the couch. He grabbed the remote and shuffled through the channels. "Mama is a nag, I tell you."

Yoosung grabbed a pillow and settled next to him. "Don't be like that, I think she's just…concerned." Even he seemed unsure of what he said.

Seven laughed out loud. "Her ways of concern are shown through violence then? She must really adore us." he rubbed at his nose. He can still feel the slipper hitting his face.

"She practically threatened us for our own safety. Amusing, really." Jaehee commented while browsing a magazine she found under the coffee table. She took a sip of her coffee and settled at one of the armchairs. "But I don't blame her. Together, we can be a handful, sometimes." _Just dealing with Mr. Han is difficult enough, what more with the rest of us?_ Her respect for M.C. suddenly grew at that thought.

Zen grumbled from the dining area, "Can you believe she intend to go to work without having breakfast? That's just unhealthy!" he paused in making his sandwich and turned to V, "Do you think she always skips breakfast? Then how can she punch that hard?!"

V shrugged and filled his plate with eggs and ham. He hesitated before reaching for the bowl of porridge—err, rice. "She is a rather…strong woman." He took a small scoop of the runny substance before settling the bowl down again.

"I think she is a tad bit violent for a woman. Impulsive, too." Jumin commented. He poured water in his glass before passing it to V.

"Yeah, but she has her quirks."

* * *

M.C. sneezed. She rubbed her nose. _I bet those guys are dissing me, again…  
_

* * *

"What are we to do then?" Jumin asked as he bit on a chunk of apple. "About our predicament, I mean."

Zen rubbed at his chin, "We still don't know the reason _why_ we are here. And still unsure of how long we are staying. That sort of makes planning difficult."

Seven turned to face them, "I agree. It is hard to plan something when we do not know what we are planning for." He rested his chin on the back cushion of the couch.

Jaehee returned the magazine to the table before answering. "Well, to address the problem, we need answers. But our only possible source of them right now is M.C. And while she seems to have knowledge of us and who we are, I think she is lost about as much as we are when it came to _why_ it happened."

V ate his food silently. Halfway, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and spoke, "M.C. said that the game was played by about a million players, right?"

They nodded.

"Over a million people playing the game, and yet here we are. We ended up in M.C.'s dorm and met her. Isn't that supposed to mean something?" V continued.

"You mean, you think M.C. has a hand in this?" Zen asked.

"No," Yoosung answered for V. "We can't start being suspicious of her, after all she'd done for us?"

"Yoosung is right." V nodded. "What happened to us, we can say, is something that involves M.C. now. The question, _why her_ still stands."

"The question is, _'Why her?'_ you said _"_ Jumin began, "Why isn't the question, _'Why us?'_ "

Jaehee adjusted her glasses. "Because while there is only _one of us_ ," at the word 'us', she turned her finger to all of them, "there are _a million or so of them._ "

Seven scratched at his head, "Ah. So complicated!" Yoosung nodded and buried his face into the pillow he was hugging. He suddenly sat up straight. "Wait, M.C. said that we are game characters here, then does that mean we aren't…real?"

"I'm still having difficulty accepting that actually." Seven answered. "But I think, that is not…wholly true." He pushed his glasses back.

"I've been contemplating on it all night, and I came to the theory that alien do exist."

…

They stared blankly at him.

Seven pouted. "Aw, you guys are no fun!"

"You're lucky M.C. is not present to hit you." Jumin said.

He winced, "Yeah, right. Anyways," Seven's voice took in a more serious tone. "I think, there are certain dimensions involved here. Sort of like…alternate universes and all that jazz."

"How can you tell?" Yoosung asked.

"Well, look at it this way. I _know_ that I had a bad stomach last week. I also _clearly remember_ that I almost got hit by a truck trying to save a goldfish when I was eighteen."

Yoosung gasped, "You what?!"

The ginger rolled his left sleeve, "I still have a tiny scar here. See? See? And I really _clearly remember_ it happening."

The scar, strangely, was shaped like a _goldfish._

Yoosung and Zen stared at it uncomprehendingly.

Seven then turned to the female of the group. "Do you remember what you did for your birthday last year?"

Jaehee deflated at that. "Yes…I had to work that day because of an emergency meeting. Then I only had take-out before succumbing to a deep sleep."

V turned to Jumin, "Really? On her birthday?"

"It can't be helped." The corporate heir shrugged. "If it will make you feel better, Assisstant Kang, I celebrated my birthday the same way."

Zen choked on his breath, "You ate take-out?"

Jumin nodded, "Yes. I took my food out to my office terrace and ate it there. The paperwork took my appetite for the lobster frittata but the chocolate pudding made up for it."

They all stared at him blankly.

"What?"

"Figures."

"Knew it was too good to be true."

"I know pudding, but what in the world is a _frutada_?"

"I think it's some sort of fruit juice or something."

Jaehee shook her head and sighed. "What is your point, Seven?"

The hacker cleared his throat. "Well, _if_ we are _only game characters_ , then we aren't supposed to have these memories! Because the creator of the game can't just come about with twenty-some-years' worth of information just for a single character…right? I mean, what use to the game would I, remembering that there are three and a half elephants at the local zoo near my place, be?"

V blinked, "Three and a half?"

"That is a story for another time."

Jumin tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "So you think…that these memories that we have, the events of our passed daily lives, is what makes us real?"

Seven nodded, "Yup! At least in _our world_."

"And now, we are in M.C.'s. So we aren't real here?" Yoosung inquired further.

"We are now." V answered this time. "That tingling feeling that we experienced before—probably still experiencing can be a sign. I think it is our way of…adapting here." He tapped his finger to his lips. "We even learned the local language without realizing it."

Zen snapped his fingers. "Oh, right! When M.C. talked to us for the first time, it didn't even sink in to me that we aren't speaking Korean. Not until her landlady asked us if we understood the local language."

"We always turn back to M.C. then." Jaehee's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"I guess we can see it like this; we are here, either _for M.C._ Maybe because there is something she has to do that only we can help her with. Or…"

"…it can be the other way around." Jumin finished.

V nodded. "The other possibility out there…

…is that _another party_ is involved, and well-aware, of what is going on. _They_ probably even had a hand in this somehow."

They all fell silent at that.

"Well, if we can't answer those questions, then maybe we should address some other issues." Zen started. All that talk about dimensions and memories and goldfishes and M.C. is causing a thrumming in his head. "Like how we will be going about with our lives here."

"He's right! If it were the case that M.C. is the one who needs us, I don't think we're doing a good job of _providing anything_ …" Yoosung pointed out.

"Except being her personal punching bags." Seven quipped. There are parts of his body that still sting.

All that in _less than a day_ , already.

"We need money," Jumin said, "and jobs. Livelihood. Resources and income. I am not speaking of this as a business man, but as a grown adult. I refuse to depend on a student for any longer than necessary." He paused before adding, "We also need a cat, too."

Zen scowled at him then sighed, "I can't believe it but, besides getting a cat, I agree with Mr. Trust Fund Kid this time. M.C. can't support us for long, and we still aren't sure how long we will be stuck here."

Nobody mentions the possibility of that being forever.

…

"And I just got that camera a week ago…"

"My director would murder me for not showing up, no matter how good-looking I am!"

"What would happen to the paperwork that I have left now?"

"I hope the maids are doing their job of taking care of Elizabeth the 3rd or else…"

"There's no PhD Pepper or Honey Buddha chips here, how am I supposed to live?!"

"My LOLOL!"

They all sighed.

"I think we need to consult M.C. about it. This is her world, after all." V checked the clock hanging on one side of the wall, "Besides, she did mention that we should avoid doing something stupid while she is not present. Doing anything reckless without informing her will probably result in…"

They shuddered.

Jaehee nodded. "Without her present, I think just…settling down would have to do. For this time, until she returns."

"Well, the best not-stupid-thing that we can do right now, is wash the dishes."

…

"Oh…dishes…"

"Look at the time!"

"My hands are not meant for washing plates."

"You are useless."

"Oh…suddenly sleepy. Yaaaawwwwwwn!"

"…You don't say 'yaaaawwwwwwn' when you want to fake being sleepy, idiot."

"I know that! I'm trying to be cute!"

"Well, you're not! So stop trying!"

"You should wash the dishes because you didn't do anything this morning!"

"No, _you_ should wash because _you_ didn't do anything this morning!"

"You just repeated what I said!"

"No! I did not just repeated what _you_ said!"

"You did it again!"

"No, I did not—"

"See?! You're just about to repeat what I just said!"

"Are _you_ saying that I was just about to repeat what _you_ think _you_ said that I repeated what _you_ said earlier?"

…

"… _what?_ "

"I said—"

"You, two. Dishes. Now."

* * *

M.C. said she would be back by lunchtime.

The RFA, all of whom are already seated at the dining table, peeked at the clock hanging on the wall.

 _1:19 Pm._

"Maybe their lunchtime isn't at noon?" Yoosung suggested meekly. Who was he kidding? Lunchtime is a universal noon. Everybody knows that!

Jumin sighed. "Let us eat. Maybe M.C. has just been delayed for a few minutes. It is bad to keep food waiting."

They nodded and proceeded with their meal, quietly.

"Please pass the rice."

"It's right in front of you!"

"This is…oh. I'll just take the bread, then."

"No fried chicken today?"

"We just had that yesterday."

"And I say we should have more today."

"Just yesterday, you don't even know what fried chicken is."

"This pork stir fry tastes like beef."

"That's because it is beef."

"No, it's pork."

"Beef."

"Pork!"

"Beef!"

"How can pork stir fry be beef?!"

"Because I cooked it!"

"That's it, then. We're doomed."

"What? You rather the blind man cook?"

"Not blind. I'll pretend that I did not hear that either."

"First he's going blind, now he's going deaf."

"So you really cooked this?"

"Might as well leave M.C. a note before we die."

"Oh, make sure we die clean. She seems like the type who hates getting things dirty."

"…"

"You're doing it again."

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Yes, you are! You're thinking dirty stuff!"

"No wonder she hits you often."

"Not me, him!"

"Aw, and you're still wearing her shirt!"

"No! I changed when I showered."

"Does her shirt smell like her?"

"I didn't sniff her or her shirt like a dog, if that's what you are asking."

"If you're so curious, why don't you smell it then?"

"Ew, I'm not a pervert."

"And let's all thank the gods for that."

"So you really cooked this?"

"I don't feel so good now."

"No one's gonna die or faint or explode! Sheesh."

"Explode?!"

"Let's just…eat, alright?"

"…You're laughing."

"Why are you laughing?"

"I saw you last night. I'm pretty sure you know how her shirt smells like."

"WHAT?!"

"You, perv!"

"Aw, c'mon!"

Okay, not really.

* * *

The leftovers were kept. The dishes were washed. The kitchen was cleaned. The dining table was wiped. The channels were shuffled. The magazines were browsed through. The shirt was washed.

And there was still no sign of M.C.

They checked the clock, _3:27Pm._

Lunchtime is definitely over.

"She did say she'll be back by lunchtime, right?" Seven sighed and fiddled with his phone. "I miss mama. I'm bored."

"I heard it also." Jaehee replied from her perch on the mini bar. "And unless you want to experience January the first in mid-June, you better stop calling her 'mama'."

"Let us call her phone then." Jumin commanded—suggested. V nodded and made to grab the phone number and sim card from the table.

Seven beat him too it. "Let me! Let me!" he had the sim card inserted into his phone and proceeded to dial the number in the note.

 _Ring._

 _Ring._

 _Ri—_

"Uhm, guys…"

They turned to Yoosung, who reached beneath the pillows on the couch.

He has in his hands—

"That's her phone isn't it?" Zen rubbed at his temples.

"Aw, man! And I have this fake phone advertisement prepared already!" Seven pouted and ended the call.

"Focus! M.C. is late and she left her phone." Zen called out from the kitchen, an apple in hand. "She could be hurt!"

…

They scoffed at the last statement.

Even Zen laughed at the idea. He waved it off, "Alright. Maybe not hurt then."

"I feel sorry for the idiot who wants to do so." Jumin commented.

Jaehee gave a chuckle then thought for a moment. "She probably just got caught up in work."

"Or…"

They turned to V. He looked worried.

Nothing good comes from that look.

Jumin's eyes widened a fraction. "You don't suppose she—?"

"I certainly hope not." V sighed.

"What are we talking about? She, what?" Yoosung asked.

V turned to him. "Well, yesterday we suddenly got here for _some reason._ There could be a possibility that…"

"…she could be transported to our world, as well." Yoosung finished, realization dawning at him. "What do we do? With us here, she could be alone there right now!" He clenched his fists. "She could really be hurt!"

…

They gave a small laugh this time.

"That statement is funnier the second time."

V sighed. "Let us wait a little bit longer then. Jumping into conclusions would just get us into trouble. Again."

The rest nodded and turned to the television.

"Damn, these shows are just stuffed with commercials, aren't they?"

* * *

It started raining. Hard. Like cats and dogs.

Zen sneezed. "You're thinking about cats, aren't you?" he rubbed at his nose and glared.

Jumin blinked and bit on a biscuit they found in one of the drawers. "I am. I can't help but worry for Elizabeth the 3rd right now. How did you know? Do you really like me that much?"

"Shut up!" Zen growled. He sneezed again. "And I don't know, but my allergy acts up with anything that has to do with—" sneeze "—cats."

They looked out to the window and turned to the clock. _5:45Pm._

Footsteps can be heard and they turned to the stairway to see Jaehee coming down, a crease in her brows. "It's raining really hard. And she still isn't here."

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Seven woke up from his nap on the couch. He nudged Yoosung who was leaning against him. They flinched when thunder roared again. "Whatimeizit?" he mumbled. Yoosung yawned and rubbed at his eyes.

"It's so dark." V commented, staring out at the window. Heavy drops of rain pattered against the tall windows of the house, running down like a waterfall. It would have made a pretty and quiet sight.

Jaehee gave V a funny look. She cleared her throat before suggesting, "I'll go and look for her."

Jumin scoffed at the idea. "Not a good idea, Assistant Kang. Not only are you not familiar with the place, but M.C. also threatened our safety if we ever step a foot out of this house."

"Well, she can't hurt us if she really is at…our world." Seven rebutted. "Or worse, she could have been mugged and stabbed and left at the streets! And in this rain, she might even get a cold!"

Silence.

"You really are weird. And creepy."

"Still taking it as a compliment."

Yoosung stood up suddenly. "That's it! I'm coming out there. I can't stand just sitting here and not doing anything!"

"You…can't stand sitting there?"

"Well, obviously. It is either you are sitting or standing, right?"

"That's not the point!"

Zen rubbed at his temples. "We are a bunch of idiots. I sort of understand M.C.'s sudden burst of violence from time-to-time, now."

M.C.'s phone vibrated from the table.

Yoosung peeked at the caller I.D. and gasped. He turned to the rest of the RFA members. "It says, _Mommy Sun_ calling."

They stared at the phone.

"Should we answer it?" Seven asked.

Zen gave a short laugh and replied, "Are you suicidal? M.C. said not to touch her stuff, remember?" he paused and followed, "You know, I think she was stressing that out specifically for you."

"Hey!"

"Well, you did browse through her phone last night."

"I told you, those were hacker instincts!"

"I strongly recommend you listen to survival instincts rather than 'hacker instincts' right now."

Before they could argue any further, the front door opened.

And in stepped an M.C. drenched from head to toe.

She was dripping wet, the drops of water pooling at her feet. Her clothes stuck to her skin and her hair covered her face.

The RFA stared at her blankly for a moment before snapping back to their senses.

"M.C.!"

"Where were you?!"

"Why are you wet?"

"What—"

They paused when M.C. remained motionless. She sniffed. Instead of answering, she slowly walked towards the bathroom and shut the door.

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's that. One fun afternoon with the RFA and then a storm brings in a drenched M.C. Anyway, see you guys at the next update!

And to:

 **BeautifulyCool**

OH NO. I am so embarrassed by my error, my ears burned. I am so sorry. I misread it, I'm sorry. BUT YES, now I remember the mall scene. I love both Kyoya's too, so yehey for us! Kyoya Ootori and Jumin Han are alike in most aspects, now that I think about it. Hmm.

I'll make sure to check your story out soon, too!

And I am so sorry, again, for getting it wrong. I really am not myself at the moment. Oh, and if you have any more questions, just ask,okay?

Thank you so much! And long live the Kyoya's! And Jumin! And all the dark-and-brooding-and-mean-but-cares-in-their-own-way characters out there!

 **CHARA ATE MY SOUL**

Thank you! I, in turn, am in love with all of you!

 **MirrorFlame**

Hey, there. I just want to thank you for what you said in your review I think that is a kind thing to do, especially for a stranger like me. The problem is I can't actually _figure out the problem_ , so…yeah. It confuses me, and I think it will only confuse others more.

But I would love to get to know you. I don't have much internet friends so thank you for extending that offer to me.

I am happy to hear that you are pleased with the story! I am still working on my writing, though. I hope it can entertain and excite you more as it goes by. Let's talk more soon!

* * *

Salamat po!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Hello there. So I have the eighth chapter with me now. This is a bit longer than the others, so I hope it made up for the time you guys had to wait.

Just to clarify, the event related to the RFA members' lives—what happened, when it happened, how it happened, where it happened—varied depending on the player's chosen route. So with M.C.'s case being only able to play up to her Third Day, some of those events—what, when, how, where—may change. Even the events and information that she knew may have been slightly altered. But the whole and basic of it stays the same though. I hope you pardon these changes.

So much for that…

I would like to thank you guys again, for the favorites, follows, views and reviews! I am grateful for your support!

Rated T language, thoughts and actions.

Warning for spoilers along the way. 

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe. 

* * *

_**Chapter 8: In which conversations are either stupid or interrupted  
**_

* * *

Five minutes of staring blankly at the door after she entered, V knocked. No answer.

Another five minutes, eleven seconds and twenty-eight pages of a magazine passed when Jaehee asked if she was alright. No answer.

Ten minutes, fifty seconds and eighteen bites of an apple after, Zen knocked on the door again. Thrice. No Answer.

Fifteen minutes, thirty-nine seconds and one nap later, Yoosung asked if she needed someone to talk to. No Answer.

Seven minutes of boredom passed then when Seven placed his ear close to the door and tried multiple knocks. Even the most annoying ones. No answer.

Eleven minutes of finger tapping and two cans of biscuits later when Jumin cleared his throat and knocked softly at the door. No answer.

One hour, twelve minutes and thirty-two seconds of hard rain have passed since M.C. locked herself in the bathroom.

Not that anybody was counting.

Sixteen seconds after they settled at the living area, she finally came out wearing a robe.

They all turned to her and stared silently—again—as she made her way pass them and to the covered laundry area. Since the back of the house was adorned with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a glass door, they saw her hanging her drenched bag and clothing along the drying rack. She got the white button-up from the clothes line, a pair of shorts from her bag and proceeded back to the bathroom.

She came out three minutes later and proceeded to the body-length mirror at the side of the door.

The RFA stared. Again. Nobody knew what to say.

She stared forlornly at her reflection and sniffed. M.C. grabbed her things—stuffed in another bag—and sat on the couch, between Seven and Zen.

The RFA continued to stare and she stared back. The girl sniffed again and dropped her gaze. She sneezed. When she spoke, her voice was deep and hoarse, "I guess I am a bit late for lunch."

V chuckled softly to humor her, "Late is an understatement. Have you eaten?" She shook her head slowly, still staring blankly at a spot on the floor.

The empty look in her eyes gave them the shivers.

Somehow, it isn't right.

Zen stood up and cleared his throat, "I'll make you a sandwich, okay?" M.C. nodded. He hesitated before patting her head lightly and headed to the kitchen. She continued to stare blankly at empty space.

Yoosung poked at her knee to get her attention. M.C. blinked before giving him a small smile that looked more like a grimace. He pouted and handed her the phone she left, "Your mother called. Well, we assumed it was her…"

She blinked and sniffed again. "I...right. I was in a hurry and left this here." She grabbed the phone and scrolled through the contacts. She dialed her mother's phone. She picked up immediately.

" _Mariel Cecilie! Where have you been? And why aren't you answering your phone? It's late!"_ her mother has a loud voice, she winced at the volume of it.

"I'm in Quezon City, Ma. At a friend's house. I will explain when I get home. I'll head out when the rain gets lighter."

" _Are you sick? Why is your voice like that?"_

She scratched at her head. "Just my allergies. My rhinitis is acting up again. I think I might have a cold too."

" _Tsk. You got caught up in the rain again, didn't you? Go home already so you can take your medicine. We have soup here. Take care on your way, alright?"_

"Yes, Ma. I will leave in a few minutes. Bye." She sniffed and hung up.

The RFA remained quiet throughout the whole conversation. Zen emerged from the kitchen and handed her the sandwich, and a mug of her tea. "Your mother is worried." She looked up at him. He was looking at her sadly.

 _Right, his family…_ "Yeah, I forgot to call her yesterday. You know, with all that has happened. Thank you, for this." She took the plate and mug from him and bit into the sandwich. She chewed slowly before taking a sip of the tea. The rest remained quiet the only sound coming from Seven's sudden not-casual whistling.

M.C. swallowed and sighed, "Just talk. This is the most annoying moment of silence that I have ever experienced." She elbowed Seven lightly on the ribs, "And stop your stupid whistling." She sniffed again.

"How are you feeling?" Jaehee asked. She is not a fan of small talk, anyways.

M.C. chewed on another bite of sandwich and rubbed her nose, "I don't know, really. But I think I'm coming up with a cold. I'm going to leave for home in a while."

V looked at her worriedly, "Do you have to leave? It is raining hard, and you just got here. Traveling in this storm is not actually advisable."

"It's not a storm yet. Just a heavy downpour for now. The rainy season comes in this month, so these rains are to happen more now." She sniffed and sighed. "And I need to go home today. I have an errand for my mother." M.C. sneezed. "Besides, if I am to help you out, I am going to have to tell my family that I will be with you for the time being."

"Do you intend to tell your parents the truth about this situation?" Jumin inquired. He handed her a tissue when she get mayonnaise at the corner of her lip. Zen was about to wipe it himself but M.C. scowled at him. "Not entirely. But I am not going to lie either. They trust me, anyways." She dabbed the tissue at her mouth and got more to blow her nose.

Jumin wrinkled his nose. M.C. scowled at him this time. "Anyway, that's not what we need to talk about right now." She sat the plate and mug on the table before rummaging through her bag. She got out a black Lenovo laptop, a wireless mouse and the laptop charger and handed it to Seven.

Seven looked like he was about to cry. "I-is this..?" he turned to M.C. "Oh honey, you didn't have too…"

"Idiot. That's not for you." M.C. snapped. "That's mine. I'm lending it to you. And do not call me 'honey'."

The RFA members stared at her as if she was insane.

"You're insane!"

M.C. sneezed and rubbed at her temples.

"OH-EM-GHIE!" Yoosung exclaimed. He got on his feet and put his right palm on her forehead.

Except he did so frantically that he actually _slapped_ his hand on her forehead. "Maybe you are sick?!"

M.C. pursed her lips and slapped his hands away and gave one to his forehead also. "I'm not sick!" she rubbed at her forehead, "And OW!"

At least that slap got some fire back into those blank eyes. Yoosung breathed a small sigh of relief, before breathing a sigh of pain. "Sorry! Sheesh, and ow too!" he too rubbed at his forehead.

M.C. sniffed again, "I know it is a stupid idea—and believe me, I think it is going to be more stupid as it goes—but I also think that this is the least stupid idea of all the stupid ideas that I came up with this morning." she grabbed a tissue and blew her nose again.

Zen blinked, "Didn't we just had this type of talk a few hours ago?"

V rubbed his forehead also. "Let's hear the stupidity, then."

"But let us skip the stupid details, alright?" Jumin deadpanned.

Jaehee sighed. "This is turning into a stupid conversation."

"Yeah, Seven's kind of conversation."

"Hey! Still taking that as a compliment."

"Anyway," M.C. interrupted, "you people obviously do not have enough money on your person right now. And I cannot possibly provide KFC takeout for you twenty-four seven—"

Jumin sighed and pouted. He sighed and pouted like with the grace and arrogance of a king.

One of the other things that only he can do, apparently.

M.C. stared at him weirdly before continuing. "—nor pay for your accommodations for long. You need resources. Money and such." She sniffed, "Sorry to say, but I am not filthy rich. So you need to help out. Here is where the stupid part comes in."

"What she means to say is, here is where Seven comes in."

"Hey!"

M.C. laughed and turned to the hacker. "Well…yeah, this is where you do come in." she chuckled before continuing, "You are a professional hacker and I know how good you are. I want you to use my laptop to…gain those needed resources."

…

"You…want me to steal?"

M.C. looked from Seven to the floor again, "Not exactly steal. More like…tamper."

Yoosung scratched at his head, "I'm getting confused. You want Seven to tamper? With what?"

"With…whatever it is that is going on here." M.C. scratched at her cheek and sniffed again. "You guys are RFA. And you are _here_. That means RFA itself is _here_. I still have doubts, but I think we can use this…situation to gain those resources. And with a few more days, maybe you could use it as a means to return."

"You're saying," Zen began as he contemplated what M.C. said, "that we can…transfer resources and information from our world to here? And then go back? Using your laptop and Seven's hacking skills?"

"That is a very…vague theory. A bit hard to understand. And illogical." Jaehee commented.

M.C. nodded slowly. "Yes…I know, it is stupid. But I can't think of any other way that is as quick." She sneezed. "I thought about it this morning hard, but I can't come up with anything."

Jumin tried to speak but M.C. continued, "And I thought that you may have credit cards right now and that maybe Seven can work with that information and somehow input you guys into the bank system here temporarily." She was rambling now, "It's sort of like a fake identity, but it is not actually fake because you are real. _Not real here yet, but real in your world_. And since you are _here now_ , then you can be _real eventually_. And I think it might work because I also think that you are adjusting and…and slowly starting to—to become real because y-you—"

M.C. started crying halfway through out her rambling.

Their eyes widened.

Zen attempted to pacify her but she continued, "—you are here…and that—that the information will settle in-into—into place and it's just—just—"she took in a deep breath and wailed, failing to finish her statement.

The RFA members looked at her, shocked, before looking away. Jaehee hesitantly sat beside her and rubbed her back. She looked at the other members, _Say something!_

Except they were at lost as to what to say.

What do you say to a crying person?

' _Are you alright?'?_

' _Please, stop crying.'?_

' _What is wrong?'?_

' _Why are you crying?'?_

' _It will be okay.'?_

None of it seemed the right thing to say.

But neither is silence.

Seven broke it, "Okay, I'll do that. We will…try to figure it out."

M.C. looked up at him. "R-really? It's p-pretty stupid, you know?" she hiccupped and sobbed harder.

V frowned slightly before replying, "Stupid is Luciel's thing M.C. I'm sure he can make something out of that." Despite her sobs, M.C. managed to choke out a small laugh. He continued. "We'll help and work on it tonight."

She nodded and cried harder. She angrily wiped at the tears away. "O-okay, that's good. Geez, s-sorry. The tears just…" she clutched at her chest "—it just keeps…keeps coming and—"

She cries. More and more tears fell.

Jumin's back was straight and his jaw was clenched. V was clasping his hands hard, his knuckles white. Jaehee continued to rub at her back. Yoosung looked frightened at first, but he finally had the courage to hold her hands. Seven clutched at a pillow hard, taking measured breaths. Zen went to fetch her some water, and came back to settle it on front of her.

They didn't ask if she was okay.

They didn't make small talk.

They didn't ignore her.

They didn't pretend to ignore her.

They didn't tell her it was okay.

She doesn't hide her tears from them.

She rarely cries.

They looked at her. They see her cry.

It makes her feel that _it is alright to cry. You can be hurt, too._

It was not until one certain night in future's time—when things are settling—that they got to know and realize why she cried that time.

But for now, they remain clueless and wondered by this girl who punches, and threatens, and slaps, and laughs, and cries. 

* * *

"Eleven days."

The RFA turned to her.

A few minutes of snots and tears passed when M.C. finally calmed down to small hiccups and slight shivering. Seven eventually started working at the loft with Yoosung, to figure out how to transfer their other-worldly data to the systems in their current world. Jaehee, Zen and V remained at the living room with Jumin and M.C. She stared blankly into space without saying anything for a while after that, chewing slowly on biscuits that the ravenhead hands to her by piece.

At least, until those two words. The RFA remained quiet, their attention to her.

M.C. scratched at the back of her head, "I think you're stuck here for eleven freakin' days."

"Is it because of the freakin' game that you think so?" V asked.

Yoosung choked on his own biscuits at that.

Jumin, Zen and Jaehee turned wide-eyed at the photographer.

"WOAH." Seven gaped at him.

V coughed. "That was rather uncharacteristic of me, wasn't it?"

M.C. laughed, "Freakin' yes." She continued with a small smile on her tear-streaked face, "Anyway, each route did go for eleven days, including the party day." The girl bit her lip, "Maybe…it would be the same for your situation right now."

"The reason why we are suddenly here is still a mystery, predicting how long we get to be here will be far more complicated, especially if we are only basing it on a mere dating sim game." Jumin said as he handed her a strawberry-flavored biscuit.

"Hey! Don't belittle the game, it made a lot of people quite sensitive, you know." M.C. sniffed before taking the treat and shoving it into her mouth. "If only you saw the tweets and tumblr posts of the supporters, you would drown from all their feels and emotions!"

The heir blinked. "I think I have a clue on what a 'tweet' is, but what is a tumbler?"

"It's a container where you put your beverage in to keep it hot or cold with you when you go out." Yoosung piped up from the loft. "I have one in LOLOL design back at home!"

Seven snorted, "Nerd."

"So me drowning in their beverage of feels and emotions is—"

"It's a freakin' social media site!" M.C. growled and rubbed at her aching head. "Honestly, I know you guys can be brighter than this."

"I am quite curious of this freakin' site. Maybe we can use it to gather more information?" Jaehee asked.

"Ohmygods, is 'freakin' a freakin' thing now?" the ginger questioned exasperatedly.

The blonde next to him quipped as he typed on his phone, "Blame freakin' V, he freakin' started it."

"It's M.C. who started it actually."

"You didn't use 'freakin' on her."

"I may be all sorts of crazy, but I am not a suicidal man just yet."

"Anyway," the girl huffed, "You people are filled with jabs and quips. We can't discuss anything seriously!" she sighed, "And about the posts, they went missing—"

"Missing?" Zen blinked at her.

"Yes, doll, missing. As in, 'lost', 'gone', 'disappeared', 'vanished' just like my patience with all of your interruptions!" M.C. snarled. Then she kicked him.

"Ow! Okay. Sorry, sorry~"

"One 'sorry' is enough!" she frowned at him before taking another biscuit from Jumin. "The posts related to you guys disappeared. The webpages, blogs, photos, fanarts, walkthroughs, stories—every information related to the game is now gone. I checked earlier when I was at work. So no information there."

"That's another odd thing. How can that be?" Zen mumbled while he rubbed at his leg. "Everything is so confusing. I think I need a smoke."

"No can do, baby doll." M.C. narrowed her eyes at him, "That's bad for your health! And the smell makes you less attractive, by the way. No smoking while you're on my turf, got it?"

The albino nodded nervously. "Yes, ma'am."

"The information about us here disappeared probably the same time we got here, personally. Just like how the game stopped working." Seven said from the loft. "Though it would seem that we have baggage with us."

The ones in the living room turned to the direction of the loft, where they can see Yoosung scrolling through his phone, and only a peek of Seven's head.

"I'll explain later. Still working on this." The hacker said as he typed. "Please continue on your discussion." He leaned in to Yoosung, "Get me a soda from the fridge, will you?"

"There's no PhD Pepper here, remember?" the blonde deadpanned.

"Stop breaking my heart Yoosung! Any soda will have to do." Seven mock-sniffed.

"You just brought me with you so you can boss me around, huh?"

"I love yah Yoosung!"

"Stop being a creep!"

Jaehee pushed her glasses back and sighed. "Back to the matter at hand. It would seem that the only real source of information we have now, is you, M.C."

Said girl blinked, "Me? I already told you what I know so far. And I haven't read a lot. I have only been playing the game up to its Third Day. And the things I know about you guys are still basic and probably inconsistent as it is, as the information stated about you slightly differs depending on whose route is taken."

V pursed his lips, "Can you explain that bit?"

She chewed on her biscuit for a while, "For example, Zen's route has this idol called Echo Girl—"

Zen gapsed, "Echo Girl?!"

Yoosung gasped, "OMG I love Echo Girl!"

Seven gasped, "Tom loves Echo Girl!"

Jumin blinked, "Don't know any Echo Girl."

"Alright! I'm speaking here!" M.C. growled, "And sorry—not sorry—to burst your fantasy bubbles but she sort of caused a public crisis on Zen's acting career involving a non-existent sexual assault. Not to mention, she despised Jumin because he apparently ignored her advances. She held a grudge for the whole RFA because of that."

…

"Sexual assault?! ME?!"

"How could she…I was a fan!"

"…poor Tom."

"Still can't remember any Echo Girl."

"Believe it or not people, that's what the walkthrough said." M.C. shook her head. She took another biscuit and said, "Oh, and if I remember correctly, Zen also injured his leg because Jumin provoked him."

Zen gasped, "What?!"

"Well, you can be overly sensitive." Jumin crossed his arms as he munched on his own biscuit.

"Though that didn't happen in the other routes, only in Zen's. And everything got resolved in the end." M.C. chewed and swallowed.

Jaehee breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness for that. We cannot have anything or anyone permanently disrupt Zen's career no matter what."

"Thanks Jaehee. At least someone here supports my professional career."

"Stop being a professional baby."

"Stop being a professional jerk."

"Stop being a professional pain!" M.C. shouted, "What does it take to have a decent conversation in this story?!"

"Well, we are trying for humor."

"I'm surprised it got you this long to finally call it out."

"Okay! Let's get on with the conflict and stop breaking the fourth wall, alright?" V sighed, "So, different routes?"

M.C. nodded, "Another example is the information about your eyes. The information about them varies in each route—when you got it, when they got to know about it and all that. Though in your actual lives, I would guess that the only ones who actually knew are Seven and Jumin, and they only got to know it recently, probably a few weeks earlier from today."

V tensed, "And how I got it?"

"Remains a mystery in some, then slowly unravels if the recommended sequence is followed." M.C. looked at him, "The reason stayed the same."

The photographer bowed his head. "I see."

"I would like to think that you guys would come back to your own world eleven days from yesterday." She grabbed another biscuit from Jumin before checking her phone calendar, "That would be…Sunday afternoon of the next week."

"That is a still vague theory." Jumin replied, "I believe we still have something to finish or get done here, before we get back. Why else would we be here in the first place?"

"And what if we got here because something—or someone—wanted us to be here? How can we be sure that we would get back by the eleventh day?" Zen asked, "And…what about you? You are the one that found us, there is no way that this has nothing to do with you."

M.C. scowled at him, "You're making it sound like it's my fault."

"No, you know that's not it." The albino took her hands, "M.C., we ended up in your apartment. And it wasn't your niece who found us, but you. You can't deny that you have nothing in this."

The girl stared blankly at their adjoined hands, a faraway look on her face. She eventually yanked hers away, "No need to touch me." She blinked and her eyes brightened, "Maybe I need to help you with something! Maybe—maybe you needed a place to sort out your issue. And some other force decided it to be here! And I probably found you because—well, I have resolved a few conflicts between other people. And I am not biased, more so because I haven't played anybody's route yet! Though the skirmishes that I helped in required a bit of violence and cursing from my part—but it worked!"

They winced at that.

"But what if it's the other way around?" Seven suddenly asked from his perch.

"What do you mean?"

"What if it's you who needs something from us?" the hacker continued, "What if it's the actual RFA who needs to help you on something?"

M.C. blinked. "I don't really need help on anything."

"That phrase can be pretty convincing, especially when used too many times." V said kindly.

"…I know." She shook her head, "But really, I don't need anything. I just played the game for fun. If there was ever someone who needed the actual RFA of all the million people playing it, I'm absolutely positive that I don't make the top of the list. Pretty sure lot of other players have it harder than I do right now. So…I think that's not the case."

"I think that is the case." Jumin replied. He stopped M.C. from grabbing another biscuit to get her attention. "What is it that you need? Companions? Resources? Attention? Stability? Friends?" he paused, "Or is it love then?"

Everybody stared at him incredulously.

"That right there, Yoosung, is what a suicidal man is."

"Wow Jumin, you're on a roll today."

"Dude! You can't just ask that to anyone so bluntly!"

"You're making me sound like I'm a complete loser." M.C. snorted before yanking the biscuit, "And I do have those things! I don't need anything more, I am perfectly fine and happy and content!"

"That explains why you went in earlier drenched and crying then?" Zen retorted this time.

The girl took a sharp breath. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Thought the silence is already a dead giveaway to leave that matter alone, don't you?"

Zen pursed his lips, "I think it is a dead giveaway that you do need help on something."

"Well I don't." M.C. sighed. "The rain just got to me earlier. And no, we are not talking about that anymore."

They went silent.

"Eleven days isn't enough to resolve our issues, M.C. If that really is the reason why we are here, then we are probably going to have a hard time." Yoosung said after a while. It is quite obvious that a lot of things needed to be discussed. But did it have to go as far as going to another dimension just to resolve it? He didn't really think that was the only reason why they were there. And he believes that the others will agree with him on this.

Only their host is intent on being stubborn as she is to believe otherwise.

She must be really damn confused. Just like they are.

"Eleven days isn't enough to fall in love either. But your game selves somehow made it so for the players." M.C. shrugged. She rubbed at her eyes.

"And what if we don't get to return back on the eleventh day?" V asked.

"I'll make sure you get back somehow. I'll ask around and just—you'll get back, alright? You can't afford to stay here for long. You guys have lots to settle at your own world." The girl bit her lip, "Let's just work with the eleven days, okay?"

They nodded their consent.

Although everyone knows that the discussion is only over for now.

They remained quiet for a few minutes, contemplating on the things discussed.

M.C. coughed and Zen handed her the mug of tea. She took a sip before her eyes widened. "Oh right!" she exclaimed and rummaged through her bag. She got out a paper bag and handed it to the photographer.

V looked at her inquiringly, M.C. took in another biscuit, "Those are sim cards. I got one for each of you so we can communicate better. You already have my number, so contact me through that if needed." She turned to the loft where she can see Seven and Yoosung working at the desk, "You, hand my old sim card back!"

The ginger looked up from their work before grinning sheepishly, "Oh…right. Okay." He grabbed his phone and took the sim card. He threw it lightly below. Zen caught it and handed the sim card to M.C., where she tucked it safely inside her wallet.

V looked at her and smiled lightly, "Thank you again, M.C." he paused before continuing, "You know, it's getting late. Are you still going out? Maybe you should just go home tomorrow morning, instead."

M.C. sniffed. "No can do. I have to go home tonight and settle stuff at home." She blew at her nose and threw it at a bucket that Yoosung fetched earlier from the storage room. It was settled at the bottom of the couch and is now overflowing with used tissues and biscuit wrappers. "But I will be back tomorrow morning to see what more we can do."

Jumin wrinkled his nose at her again before handing her another biscuit. "Well, if you plan to leave, I suggest we go now. It is late, you still have to go home and I have to get back." He stood up and turned to her, "Let's go."

M.C. stared at him incredulously from her perch on the couch, a biscuit hanging from her mouth. "Huh?"

V, Zen and Jaehee looked at him with their brows raised.

"What do you mean 'Huh?'" Jumin asked. He stared for a moment before closing his eyes and sighing. "Do not fret, M.C. We can take the biscuits along if you really want to. Now, get a move on."

M.C. swallowed a mouthful of biscuits before standing up also. "Woah there, big boy. Where is this 'we' coming from?" she sniffed and rubbed her nose, "And don't tell me what to do!" she gave him a glare, but its effects fell slightly due to her red and puffy eyes. "I'll leave for home by myself. You people, stay here."

Jumin looked at her confusedly, "You are saying that you will go home _alone_? At this hour?" they all turned to the clock. _9:47 Pm._

M.C. scratched at her head and sighed, "Yes, I am saying that I will go home alone at this hour. I'm a grown adult, I can handle myself."

"Yeah, a grown adult with puffy eyes and a runny nose. You certainly look like a tiger." Zen remarked before adding, "What if something happens to you?"

M.C. turned to him, "I'm familiar with the place. And here, ten is still early, especially for a Friday. So the streets will be crowded tonight." She sniffed and blew on her nose before continuing, "There is no need to accompany me home. Plus, having you get back here right after will only be another hassle. Not to mention the explanation I need to give to my parents will just be a big headache. And I don't need it. Really, I'm fine on my own."

She turned to Jumin and looked at him oddly, "No need to worry about your biscuits, I'm not taking them." He, in turn, looked at her blankly before grabbing her hand. "Do not be annoying and let's go."

Jaehee, V and Zen looked incredulously at their hands.

"Mr. Han…"

"Jumin, you are quite fired up today."

Zen scrambled to get up and pointed at the heir, "H-Hey! What are you doing?!"

Jumin turned to him, "She is being difficult. We need to get a move on so I can get back immediately."

"Why do you need to hold her hand?!"

Seven and Yoosung blinked and looked at each other before looking down below. Their jaws dropped.

"HEY!" Seven bellowed. "SUICIDAL I TELL YOU!"

Jumin stared at them confusedly, "Why are you all acting weird just because I am holding her hand? Assistant Kang, Yoosung and Zen held it earlier."

"That's different!"

"Don't bring me into this."

"Why is it different?"

"Because you don't touch people!"

"Are you saying M.C. is not a person, then?"

Said not-a-person growled, V and Jaehee grimaced before M.C. bellowed, "FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD JUST LEAVE ME BE!" she tugged at her hands from the heir's hold and hoisted her bag on her shoulders. "I CAN GET HOME BY MYSELF WITHOUT THE COMPANY, THE FUSS, OR THIS HAND GRABBING!" She growled once more before leaving at an angry pace and slammed the front door shut.

They all stared at the direction of the front door when it opened again and M.C. stomped back in. She grabbed the bucket of tissues and threw its contents to the trash can before settling it back to the storage room.

She then turned to Jumin and grabbed the tin of biscuits, "AND BECAUSE YOU PISSED ME OFF, I AM TAKING THESE BISCUITS WITH ME!" to add, she took a whole biscuit in her mouth before storming off to leave and slam the front door shut.

But not before growling another, "DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID WHILE I'M GONE!"

The RFA members stared at the front door. When they were sure she would not come barging in again, they sighed.

She really is something.

Zen glared at Jumin, "There, you pissed her off again."

"I do not understand what I did to make her upset." The ravenhead replied before sitting down at the couch again. He crossed his arms and grumbled, "Now she took off with the biscuits, too." He narrowed his eyes at Zen, "Your fault."

"My fault?!"

"Yes. You just have to make a big deal of me holding her hand."

"It is a big deal!"

"And can you elaborate why?"

"You're strangers to each other! That's just inappropriate and unethical! You should know! Aren't you Mr. Manners?"

"With all the times she has hit, slapped or punched us since our stay here, I would think that holding her hand is not a big deal."

"Well, it is!"

"You did it earlier."

"I told you that was different!"

"I can't see how different it can be, aside from the difference of hand owners."

Zen, V and Jaehee blinked. The albino sighed and slumped on the couch too. "Jerk."

A moment of silence before Seven broke it, "So…are her hands like those of a beast's?"

Zen turned to the loft and glared, "Seven, please!" at the same time that Jumin smirked, "Not at all."

The hacker's jaw dropped again, "Wha—" before Yoosung cleared his throat, "It's smooth and small and soft actually…" he whispered under his breath.

Jaehee sighed, "You should know Seven, since she hits you most of the time."

Seven laughed at that before returning back to his work. V called out, "How is it going?"

"I'm still trying to connect to my system back home using my phone." The hacker scratched at his head. "I'm having Yoosung do the same with his phone. In a while, I'm going to have to get your phones connected here as well." He yawned and rested his chin on the desk. "I sort of understand what M.C. was saying earlier…but I'm still unsure of how to pull it off. Or if it would work. Especially the going home part."

V nodded slowly and stood up, "Well, we should try anyway. Now that we have a laptop to work with, we should work on recreating our I.D.'s to fit the systems here, so we can do transactions. If we can't pull it off, we will have to go with the fake ones." He addressed Seven, "I apologize for having you do all the work."

Seven waved it off. "Nah, it's fine. I'm already working on the I.D.'s by the way. I just finished mine and am currently working on Yoosung's." he waved the blonde's existing card "I'll work on yours next."

The photographer nodded and grabbed M.C.'s mug, and took it to the kitchen sink.

"Damn the creep is fast." Zen sighed and turned to Seven. "You're not the best hacker in the world for nothing, huh?"

"You're making me sound like a criminal or something!"

"You sort of are, if you think about it." Jaehee commented.

Jumin scoffed, "He will only be a criminal if he gets caught."

Seven laughed "Yeah! What the people don't know won't hurt them!"

"A criminal's way of thinking." Yoosung remarked.

"Shush, you."

V came back from the kitchen and sat down at an arm chair. "Do you think you can finish the I.D.'s by tomorrow morning?" he asked while he shuffled for the sim cards in the paper bag. He handed one each to Zen, Jumin and Jaehee before he had the actor throw two of the cards to Yoosung.

Seven hummed and typed again on the laptop, "Yeah, I'll do that, exactly, and then some." He smiled mischievously and said, "M.C. is going to be so impressed with my hacking skills that she will stop hitting me and admire me instead!" his glasses glinted.

They stared at him in silence.

"No."

"Nope…"

"Nuh-uh."

"…Not gonna happen, bro."

Seven pouted "You guys are mean! It will happen, you know!"

"Chances are, she would hit you _less_ if you just keep your mouth shut of stupid comments." Jaehee deadpanned, "and if you refrain from calling her 'Mama'."

V gave a small chuckle. "Nah, Luciel would lose a huge percent of his character if not for his nonsensical comments."

The rest laughed at then while Seven grumbled, "Still taking that as a compliment." 

* * *

**A/N:** And there's that. School just started and I am a nervous wreck now. So I apologize again for the untimely updates.

Hoping to hear from you guys! Even the guest readers. I hope I get to know your thoughts, it would really mean a lot to me.

See you guys on the next one!

And to those who reviewed:

 **CHARA ATE MY SOUL**

I just gotta throw some drama in there, you know? Hopefully we get to find out soon!

 **BeautifulyCool**

I try so hard to come up with those lines, I'm glad you appreciate them. And let's not fret, M.C. is a strong soul!

 **MirrorFlame**

Thank you for that! Hopefully, I get to understand things soon.

Hm. That's a tough question. I'm caught between being able to walk through walls but fall through floors and being able to fly only with your eyes closed. How about you?

Wow, you really think so? I'm not that well-versed in English actually, I only use it when required in school, and I have a tough time speaking it. Though I read from time to time, so that probably helped. And I watch funny movies or series when I write, in hopes of getting inspiration and a better sense of humor. 

* * *

Salamat po!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Hey guys! I decided to post an update to keep my mind off of things. My design just got rejected by my professor so life sort of sucks right now.

Anyway, I hope this chapter clears up a few things. I had to edit this particular chapter tons of times because changes and ideas just kept on coming that I can't get anything concrete done. I hope this is acceptable though.

Again, just to clarify, not all of the events in the MysticMessenger universe will apply here, as the members got transported only on M.C.'s third day of playing. So expect a few tweaks here and there.

So yeah.

Thank you for all the follows, favorites, views and reviews! I actually got a decent number of views and visitors though I'm worried if they actually like it or just passed it by.

So warning for some spoilers. And Rated T for language, thoughts and actions. 

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe. 

* * *

_**Chapter 9: In which the RFA stalks and digs deeper  
**_

* * *

True to her harsh words, M.C. got home safe from harm.

But not safe from her mother's nagging.

Sunita Morevaz, known to most as Sun, is a loud and outspoken woman. Tough love is what she believes in, due to her tough childhood. She may reprimand, scold and nag a lot, but she loves her family truly and dearly.

"Where were you again? Andy texted me yesterday and said you were not at your dorm last night." her mother huffed.

M.C. grabbed her mother's hand and touched it to her forehead, " _Mano po,_ Ma." She dropped her bag at the couch and settled next to it. "Yeah, I forgot to text you yesterday. It was sudden." She rummaged through her bag for Andy's gown.

Sun was seated at a wooden chair. She was frowning at the Ipad. M.C. handed her the gown and looked at the screen. "Sheesh, mom. Playing again? And while watching _teleseryes_ , too."

Her mother grabbed the gown and wrinkled her nose playfully at her youngest daughter, "Oh shush, you. I only just started." She left her game to settle the gown in her sewing room before coming back out. "You still haven't answered my question, young lady. You didn't sleep at your dorm, and you didn't go home without texting!"

M.C. was seated at the couch again and was watching the on-going show. "I'm sorry, Ma. Things got busy yesterday. I was at Quezon City." She paused then sniffed. "I haven't told you before, but I made some friends from Korea through a messaging application."

"Messaging application? What is that? Is it the Messenger?" her mother asked. She was in her fifties, and although fond of playing games through her phone and Ipad, she isn't much versed in most technologies and applications.

M.C. scratched at her head, "It's an app where you get to message people from a certain place. I met them online. And it turns out that they were friends with a girl whom I met during an architecture seminar this summer. And I found out that they run a small fund-raising organization in Korea. We chatted every now and then since."

She really did meet them at a messenger app. They do run a small-fundraising organization. And she really did attend a seminar that summer and sat next to a Korean girl whom she became acquainted for a while. They did chat every now and then. But…

 _Small truths interconnected to make a story._ She sighed. She hated lying. She may be somewhat good at it, but she hated doing it.

Her mother looked skeptical, "Is that safe? You can never know with the technology these days."

"Yes, Ma. After I met them, I didn't use the app anymore. We got connected through facebook instead. Anyway," M.C. sniffed, "they arrived here in the Philippines yesterday afternoon and contacted me, asking for help. Apparently, they had trouble with their accommodations. I contacted a friend and helped them book a house. We finished late and I ended up sleeping there. "

"Is that so? And how was the house?" her mother continued to tap at her Ipad, "And are they girls? Or boys?"

M.C. played with the strands of her hair, "The house was fine, and it fits them okay actually. The owner is friends with Sab's mother." She paused and added, "Well, there are six of them. Five guys and one lady."

Her mother sighed, "You keep befriending boys. Maybe one of them is your boyfriend, hm?" she gave her a suspicious look.

M.C. made a face and scoffed. "Ew, Ma. No, they are just friends. And I just met them in person today." She cleared her throat. "But apparently, it turns out they will stay for a while. So…" she dragged out the word, "I'm going to be with them most of the time, okay?" she beamed at her mother. "Okay? Okay?"

Sun turned back to her game. "They are from Korea, you say? Maybe having a Korean man court you wouldn't be so bad. And you should ask your dad." She paused and asked, "Who is Sab again?"

M.C. rubbed at her temples. "I don't want a boyfriend, that's just a waste of effort, time and money. And Sab is my college classmate from Quezon City, the one who sent the _sweet monggo_ , a few months ago."

Her mother snapped her fingers, "Ah! Right, the tall, handsome one whose house you often sleep at before." M.C. nodded.

Her father came out of their bedroom then. When he saw his daughter on the couch, he frowned playfully, "Well, look who is finally home! Where have you been? You're late!"

Monedero Morevaz, Dero for short, is a plump and jolly man in his sixties. Unlike his wife, Dero is soft-spoken and rarely scolds his children. Which has him reprimanded by Sun most of the time. But to that, he just laughs it off.

Where Sun is strict, Dero is lenient. And where Dero is impulsive, Sun is controlled. They bicker a lot, but M.C. and her siblings can see their love for each other.

M.C. beamed at him, "Just at a friend's house, daddy. At Quezon City." She grabbed her father's hand and touched it to her forehead, " _Mano po._ "

Her mother sniffed, "Apparently, your daughter has Korean friends."

Dero turned to M.C., "Is it true?" he frowned and said, "Is one of them your boyfriend, then?" M.C. shook her head exasperatedly.

Sun laughed, "Ah, if you are going to get a boyfriend anyways, make sure he is kind and respectful and responsible, alright? And good-looking, of course!"

Her father's eyes widened, "What?! NO! No boyfriends, young lady!"

M.C. made a face again before replying, "Yeah, dad. No boyfriends. Anyway, I'll go to them again tomorrow. I volunteered to help them get settled and know their way around."

"Well, just be careful." Her mother said. Her father sniffed, "Don't stay out too late, okay? And don't do anything stupid!"

" _Opo._ " M.C. laughed. "So, what's for dinner here?" 

* * *

The RFA were gathered once again in the living room. V and Jaehee sat on each of the armchairs, Jumin and Yoosung were at the couch. Seven was at the floor, typing on the laptop that was placed above the coffee table. Zen was seated beside him, working with his phone this time. They faced the television, it was currently showing some drama about marriage and family.

The actor stared at the new sim card that M.C. bought for them and sighed, "I just realized, now I would only have six actual people on my contacts. This is just sad."

"I bet it wouldn't be like that for long for you, Zen." Yoosung commented. He found a bag of chips labeled _V-Cut_ and was very satisfied with its spicy barbecue flavor. "With your looks, you'd get tons of numbers from passers-by in no time!" Seven blindly reached for the chips and took a handful to stuff in his mouth.

Zen winced, "M.C. would kill me." He rubbed at the spot on his shoulder that the girl hit yesterday. Still aching. The actor slapped Seven's hands. "Dude, you should wipe your hands first. You'll get powder and grease all over her stuff!"

The hacker huffed before grabbing a tissue to clean his hands with. He shoved his hands at the actor's face before going back to the laptop.

"Why are you so concerned about what she thinks?" Jumin asked the albino.

Zen rubbed at his face. "Because she can cause me physical harm, and that's not good for my health."

Seven scratched at his head, "Can we stop talking about M.C.? Trying to concentrate here people!" he was currently working on Jaehee's phone.

"Distracted?" V smirked before taking a sip of his tea.

"Yes, because all of you just keep yapping!" Seven pouted and browsed through the phone. "Aw, c'mon Jaehee. You're a girl, don't you have any secrets here or something?"

The chief assistant's glasses glinted dangerously, "I would not do that if I were you, Seven."

"H-hey, I was just kidding!" the hacker laughed nervously and set the phone down. "I'd be much more comfortable working in the loft."

"And leave you alone with all that information? Not gonna happen, bro." Zen quipped.

"Speaking of all that information, how is it going?" V questioned.

Seven typed a few more keys and pressed on the mouse a few more times before replying, "Surprisingly, I think it's going good so far. I only have Jumin and Zen's phones to work with, then our identities will be settled."

"So you really did manage to get the information?" Jaehee asked.

Seven rubbed at his chin. "Well, yeah. You remember the baggage that I was talking about? You see, when I connected my phone earlier and browsed through it, I found folders, systems and codes that aren't supposed to be there. And they are all connected to the RFA messenger that is installed in our phones." He paused and typed again before continuing, "It involved a lot of crap to translate the codes and convert the systems too. It turns out to be the information that we actually need right now. The reason why I need to connect all our phones is to get those individual information."

"That sounds…dangerous." Zen commented.

Yoosung nodded. "I kind of understood some of the things that Seven was doing. He had me browse through my folders earlier and all sorts of data is stored in here that wasn't before," he pointed to his own phone, "information and documents like card numbers, birth certificate details, even my grades from last semester was there!"

"Which, I guess, makes your job a bit easier…" Jaehee said. She fiddled with the pages of a magazine.

"…and the situation more suspicious." V finished. He sipped at his tea again. "I never thought you could actually gain access to all of that."

"So did I. I was already planning on creating fake identities because that would be way more awesome! I mean, think about it!" Seven's eyes sparkled as he babbled, "I could be this super-secret agent running from his agency and Yoosung can be my sidekick orphan who I found in the streets! Then Jumin could be the hidden child of a rich black market businessman who is seeking revenge and Jaehee could be this girl with a dark past searching for a new chance at life! Then Zen would be the college drop-out who lived by selling his good looks then V could be this weird artist seeking for new art while he falls into the despair of blindness!"

The rest stared at him.

Seven's grin got bigger, "I know right?! MIND-BLOWING!"

V blinked. "You came up with all that, just now?"

Seven nodded eagerly, smile never wavering.

"You have one hell of an imagination."

"Why do I have to be an orphan?!"

"Hey, you just made me sound like a man-whore!"

"I think it's quite interesting."

They all looked at Jumin incredulously.

Seven's smile couldn't get any creepier. "See? Even the great Jumin Han sees my genius!"

Jaehee shook her head at the heir, "Mr. Han, please stop being ridiculous." She glared at the ginger, "And I have no such past."

Seven shrugged. "But it's dramatic all the same!"

"Get serious here," The brunette sighed. "Weren't you the one who created this messenger app?"

The hacker pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose and grabbed a handful of chips, before turning back to the laptop, all stern and serious. Zen recoiled from his sudden change. "Wow, are you bipolar something?" he grumbled as he handed him more tissues.

Seven stared blankly at him before sticking his tongue out.

Zen hit him.

"Aw! Geez, M.C. is rubbing off on you, isn't she?" he rubbed his cheek. Then he smirked, "And not in the way that you want her to either, now that's just sad."

Everyone else choked on whatever.

Zen hit him again.

"BY THE GODS, SEVEN! HAVE SOME DECENCY! THAT'S JUST—!"

"Completely true?"

"COMPLETELY DISGUSTING!"

V wiped at his mouth and nose. "If you value even one bit of your life, you better not let M.C. hear that. Ever."

Yoosung hid his face in a pillow, "Ohmygods Seven, that was way out of the line! We are Rated T here!"

Seven scoffed, "That's your dirty minds working right there. Ha! See? Even Jumin is a dirty little pervert too! Under all that…metal and ice and everything not nice."

Jumin remained silent.

"Probably due to feelings-overload." Zen snorted.

Concernedly, Jumin still remained silent.

 _Great, now Mr. Han is suffering from hormonal coma._ Jaehee sighed, "Please Seven, just answer my question." She handed the heir a glass of water.

The hacker laughed before getting serious again. "Yes, dearest Jaehee, I did create the app. And as far as my creation goes, the RFA messenger app is just a group chat for us, for the sake of our privacy. We have the same versions of it, and it is mostly used just for chatting. The only other version of it is…"

"Rika's phone. Rika's messenger app." Yoosung continued.

They fell silent at her name.

Seven nodded, "And the only additional feature that it had is being able to connect to her email and other classified information."

V blinked before turning to him, "We should ask for M.C.'s phone tomorrow. To have it checked also."

"So are you saying that all the information that we might need here can be found in our phones right now?" Jumin asked. He handed the glass back to Jaehee, who shook her head at him before taking the glass back to the kitchen.

"And the jerk is back." Zen snickered. Jumin kicked him.

"Not all of the information. Not yet at least." Seven replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" he typed a few more keys, "I did browse through my phone yesterday right after we got transported. The files were already there, but not all of it. When I checked again a few minutes ago, new numbers and codes popped up."

Zen looked at his phone and said, "So…it's a progressing thing then? Sort of like downloading an update?"

Seven nodded again, "Something like that. Right now, there is already too much information here, and I'm going to need a bigger computer if I were to handle more." He sighed. "Which is why I can only work on the basics right now." He pressed on the mouse before removing Jaehee's phone connection from the laptop. He handed the phone back to the brunette before holding his hand out to the heir.

"Your phone is important for now, Jumin, since you manage the RFA accounts and budget, I think I can find more details on it through your phone." The corporate heir nodded and handed his phone to Seven. The redhead plugged it in and clicked some more.

V was deep in thought. The situation just keeps getting more mysterious as time passes, and they are nowhere to getting any more answers. He sighed, "Well, for now, the identities are more important. Hopefully, tomorrow we can access the RFA bank account to buy our necessities. And apply for any more documents that we may need."

"More documents? Like what?" Jaehee asked.

"Any other that is necessary here. Licenses, permits, insurance and whichever is required of us."

"You also think…that we may be stuck here for a while?" Yoosung hesitantly asked. "Because I think so. Not that I doubt what M.C. was thinking, but eleven days is too short for anything big to happen. And I think being transported into another dimension is one of those things."

V nodded, "Yes, Yoosung. Eleven days or not, we have to get prepared. Standing idly will not result to anything. We need to figure out how to live and help ourselves for the mean time. Also, figure out what M.C. has to do with our situation." He pursed his lips, "We have to make sure she is safe, even if this is her world."

Seven suddenly snapped his fingers, "Oh! It makes sense now!"

"What does? Because I see absolutely nothing making sense, whatsoever."

"It makes sense as to why I can't access the security cameras at Rika's apartment a few days ago."

"You mean you had M.C. on surveillance?" Zen questioned, "Isn't that a breach of privacy?"

"It's a security measure! Besides, it was Rika's apartment and we had classified information over there." The hacker scratched at the back of his neck, "Anyway, I checked on the cameras when we first encountered M.C. in the chat. But all it showed were random crap, so I thought the hacker infiltrated the security system. I was just about to head to the apartment myself to see what happened…that is until we got here. The reason of that security issue is probably because the real M.C. is out here spreading punches and butterflies."

"Speaking of the hacker...that is another unresolved issue." Jumin looked to his childhood friend, "Do you have any idea to who it is? Or what he wants?"

V frowned thoughtfully, "I am not exactly sure yet…though I do have a guess who. But I cannot pinpoint exactly as I do not have enough evidence and information on it yet." He sighed, "I will elaborate on that soon. But now…we are still a bit unstable here. Best if we set our grounds as soon as possible…and we must protect M.C. and make sure she is safe. She is part of us now, and very much involved in the RFA. No matter how often she denies it."

"No questioning that." Zen pouted, "Even if that lady can probably beat the crap out of anyone, there is no telling what can transpire now."

"Could the hacker possibly have something to do with us getting here?" Jaehee suddenly asked.

The hacker sighed, "I thought of that too. Since he somehow managed to hack into the messenger and inserted an 'M.C.' into the chat…Maybe that has something to do with all this. But damn, I can't make sense of it!" he massaged his head, messing up his hair even more, "I will look deeper into that and let you guys know."

Yoosung scratched at his own head and hugged a pillow from the couch. "Ah, so many things happening." He turned to Seven, "You alright there?"

"Yeah, I think so." Seven stretched before leaning back. "Guess it's a late night for us, again." He yawned before grinning, "Well, while waiting for the files to be extracted…" he opened a folder labeled, 'Mariel'.

The albino saw what he was doing first. His eyes widened and he sat up straight, "What are you doing? Are you crazy?!"

V tilted his head in inquiry, "Is there something wrong?"

Jumin peeked at the screen before grimacing and shaking his head. "He's looking into M.C.'s folders."

"Ah. You are suicidal." V shook his head before taking his mug to the kitchen. "It has been nice knowing you, Luciel."

Seven waved him off, "Hey, I'm looking for information here! I need to go through these things." He looked through the folders and files.

Zen's mouth kept on closing and opening before he blinked rapidly and took a deep breath, "Seven, seriously. M.C. said not to do anything stupid and I think that—"

"Pictures!"

Seven clicked at a folder named 'ABC'.

Zen, and Yoosung leaned in. Jaehee sighed and rubbed at her temples before taking a peek. Jumin settled himself to where he can see the screen. V sat next to him.

They are so doomed.

Seven scrolled through the pictures and selected one.

It was a group photo of about thirty people. It was taken on the street, in front of a huge house. The people were leaning in together and smiling brightly at the camera. M.C. was at the left most side, holding out a peace sign.

"Aw, that's a cute photo." Yoosung smiled. "They look really close."

Next was a photo of three people sitting inside a car. M.C. was seated at the shotgun, she was the one holding the camera in selfie mode. At the backseat is a guy leaning toward the front, with his arm around M.C. and the other guy's shoulders. The guy situated at the driver's seat was holding a chicken leg to his mouth.

"You think one of them is Sab?" Jaehee questioned.

They shrugged before scrolling through another photo. This one was taken at a church wedding and looked more like a family picture. The groom had features that looked similar to M.C.'s, next to him was a beautiful bride. They were surrounded by M.C.'s family, they guessed. The girl was at the other side of the groom, holding another thumbs up. She was dressed in pink and violet.

"She does have huge arms." Jumin said.

V elbowed him at the side, "Don't be rude now."

Seven sniffed before selecting another picture. It was a stolen shot of M.C. looking at something next to the person holding the camera. She was at mid-laugh in the picture.

Zen chuckled. "Hey, she looks completely different when she's not scowling!"

They stared at that photo for a few more minutes before Seven selected the next one. It was another selfie shot of M.C. and a guy wearing glasses. He was none of the two guys in the photo from earlier. The guy was holding the camera and M.C. was leaning in to him to fit the shot.

"And who could this one be?" V tilted his head.

"Maybe that is Sab?"

"Nah, he looks too nice to be a 'Sab'."

"How would you know?"

The guy with the glasses piqued their curiosity even more when the next five photos included him also.

Seven scrolled past the others and selected another one. This time, it was a photo of M.C. with six other girls. The one holding to the camera was hugging M.C. fiercely.

Yoosung scratched at his nose. "Oh, look! I was beginning to think she doesn't have female friends, or something."

Zen chuckled, "They're cute." Before Seven thumped him on the head.

They stared wide-eyed at the next photo.

It was a solo picture of M.C. dressed in a high-school uniform. Her collared blouse was cream-colored, and at the top button sat a green ribbon. Her hair was braided and was settled along one shoulder, the end strands reaching down to just below her chest. She has fringe in the photo that were cut straight just below her eyebrows. Her eyes were reduced to slits as she gave a gentle smile at the camera. She looked younger, probably around fifteen or sixteen.

"Huh," Seven sighed.

Zen whistled, "Can that really be her?"

They stared at the photo for a bit more before a notification sounded. They blinked and settled back to their places.

Seven continued with his algorithms, "Just to clarify, I can only retrieve a limited amount of information at a time as I do not want to risk M.C.'s laptop and the information that she has here," he clicked on the mouse a few more times before answering, "but regarding those necessary for the mean time, I can finish it in probably a few more hours."

"And those necessary information refer to?"

"Data for identification, bank accounts and financial records—ours and RFA's—, and social media accounts—fakebook and tweeter." Seven clarified.

Jaehee looked surprised, "All that in just a few hours? You are better than I expected."

He sighed, "As much as I want to take all the credit, it's not just me and Yoosung that is working on this."

"Care to clarify?"

"You remember what I said earlier right? About the mysterious folders related to the chat." Seven began, "Somehow…it's ingraining itself in this world's system on its own."

Zen looked at him, a crease between his brows, "Are you saying…that it's alive? The information?"

Seven scratched at his head, "Well, now that anything is practically possible, that can actually be true…either it is alive, or something else is controlling it." His fingers ran quickly along the keyboard. "But it seems that it cannot work on its own. With all the information that each of our phone contains, the system is having trouble sorting it out. I have to type the algorithms and equations that I came up with along my line of work to get the system to function smoothly. Otherwise, it would just serve as a storage dump. It seems…unfinished."

Jaehee pushed her glasses back and leaned in. "So what you are saying, is that there is an existing system that is currently integrating our information—information that continues to expand as of the present—but due to the large amount of it and the system seeming inadequate, the system needs your customized algorithms to function properly. Is that right?"

Seven whistled lowly and nodded, "Wow, Jaehee. That was impressive. Yes! I couldn't have explained it any better." He looked at the screen, "Well…at least that's what I make of it."

Jumin frowned, "If we will take things that way, then it would seem that something or someone really wants us to be here. But if the system still needs Seven's guidance, then it can be theorized that it is not finished or polished yet."

"Meaning the system is launched at an unexpected time." Zen concluded. "It is meant to work us here, but not to this time, right?"

They fell silent, testing the theories in their heads.

"Whether it's a good or a bad thing, we still have yet to figure out." Yoosung sighed and rested his chin on the coffee table. "The system is helping us for now, yeah sure, but the question _why_ is still there."

V nodded slowly. "I think we may be on to something. But I am also considering…a more vague theory. In M.C.'s words…a stupid idea."

"What might that be, V?" Jaehee asked.

"It could be that otherworldly forces are involved." he answered. His hands were locked in loose fists. "I know that it may seem illogical, but it can be another theory, too." He hesitated before adding, "Even Rika is a believer in such. As am I, and Luciel, too."

Zen frowned, "I don't actually believe in all that," he looked at V, "but I think you have a point too. I believe the reason why we are here is definitely related to M.C. And no amount or type of system can explain that."

Seven scratched at his head, "So much information!" he sighed and unplugged Jumin's phone from the laptop before turning to Zen. "Your turn."

The musical actor handed his phone. "You better not make a mess of that, Seven. And we should probably take note of all these ideas."

The hacker grinned, "Why? You have something here that you don't want us to see? Ya wolf!"

"What? No!"

"I'll take notes!" Yoosung said from his perch on the couch. He got papers and pens from the drawers and proceeded to write. Jaehee leaned in to help him.

"Aw, Yoosung is finally making up to his future career."

"Shut it, Seven."

V nodded, "Thank you, Yoosung, Jaehee." He turned to the rest, "Tomorrow morning, we wait for M.C. to arrive, and then we can come up with what we must do next."

"Speaking of M.C., she seems keen on getting rid of us at the eleventh day. What should we tell her?" Jaehee asked.

"Seeing as we are still unsure, ourselves, we will try for the remaining of the eleven days. But preparations for the long run will be done also. We need to figure out what needs to be done and settle our…secrets and issues at a time. And find out more about M.C."

The blonde student frowned, "You want us to spy on her?"

"Not exactly," V smiled sadly at him, "What I meant to say was…let us get to know her a little better. M.C. seems like a simple and open book, but it's the small details that she easily brushes over that makes her a complex person."

"Oh…okay." Yoosung looked down and nodded slowly.

"You think she knows who the hacker is?" Zen asked.

"There is a high possibility of that." Jumin crossed his arms. "She already knows V was blind before we did, and probably knew the reason why, too." He gave a side glance at V who flinched slightly, "So no doubt she knows who the hacker is and what he wants. We probably would not like the answer though, otherwise M.C. would have informed us of its identity already."

"Damn, so many things to handle."

They got quiet.

It was only when Jaehee cleared her throat that they snapped out of their respective thoughts. She wrote some more, "So…preparations for the long run includes settling the accounts, fixing our banks, applying for local documents, acquiring necessities and possibly looking for jobs?"

"Sharp as ever, Jaehee." The photographer nodded at her. The brunette's wit and dedication never fails to impress him. "We will take care of that slowly along the way. Judging from our receding resources, I would suppose M.C. will take us shopping tomorrow. Once we gain access to the funds that we got from our last event, we will shop for the long run as well."

"Aye aye, Cap." Seven saluted. "I'll handle the funds needed for Eleventh Day Target and Project Long Run. You should go and get some sleep now, V. Your…eyes aren't probably used to being without the special lens." He said in a quiet voice, unlike his usually loud tone.

"I agree." Jumin said. "We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. You need your rest." He paused before adding, "No need to worry, we won't diss you."

V laughed at that. "You guys are treating me like a grandpa. I'm fine, really."

Jaehee stopped at her writing to look at her phone. She opened it and gave an amused smile. She handed him the phone, "Here."

He looked at her confusedly before taking the phone. He squinted at the screen.

Their leader laughed again and handed the phone back to Jaehee. He rubbed at the back of his neck before standing up to make his way upstairs. "On second thought, I think I'll get some shut eye now."

Zen and Seven exchanged confused looks. Jumin and Yoosung stared at V's back inquiringly. The photographer rarely changes his mind like that, even over smaller things like deciding when to rest. Or second thoughts.

They turned to Jaehee, who was looking funnily at the photographer.

V reached the second floor and was about to head into one of the rooms when he caught them staring. He looked over the railing and said, "You guys should probably follow too, before she haunts your dreams. That includes you, Luciel." Their leader gave another chuckle before proceeding to the second bedroom and closing the door.

"She?" Yoosung asked.

Jaehee handed her phone to them.

It was a text message from M.C.

Zen's eyes widened, "You texted her?!"

"Of course," the lone female replied. "She has to know _one of our numbers_ to contact us, right?" she shook her head at them, "And besides that, I wanted to make sure she got home safe. So I texted her after I inserted the sim."

"I wanted to text her first!" Yoosung cried out.

Seven narrowed his eyes at him, "And why is that? Huh?"

The blonde blinked. "J-just because!" he stuttered.

"Well, too bad for you!"

"Well, you didn't get to text her first, too!"

"I didn't say that I want to!"

"But it's not like you don't!"

"Stop putting words in my mouth!"

"Stop denying them, then!"

Jumin took the phone and scoffed, "Well played, Assistant Kang." Zen, Seven and Yoosung leaned in to see the text message.

They shuddered.

Zen set off to clean the dishes. Jumin got himself to fix the living area. Seven typed quickly at his laptop. Yoosung dashed to the bathroom.

The brunette chuckled at their antics and read the message from M.C.

 _I got home alright, thanks Jaehee. I'll have dinner and rest after. I'll probably be there by nine in the morning, if not earlier. You should rest too, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Hahaha._

 _And if you don't mind, kindly tell V to REST HIS EYES if he doesn't want me pulling them out._

 _And that Yoosung should BRUSH HIS TEETH after eating the chips—MY CHIPS._

 _And kindly tell Jumin that the biscuits are FREAKING DELICIOUS. Especially the chocolate-flavored ones._

 _And to Zen to WEAR A SHIRT this time. And if he can, a shirt THAT IS NOT MINE._

 _And Seven to NOT LOOK AT MY PHOTOS._

 _Also, if the place looks like a pig sty, so help me gods. I will—_

 _Hahaha._

 _They better. Or else._

 _Thank you and goodnight Jaehee! I hope you can sleep well. See you tomorrow!_

The chief assistant sighed. She does not _full-out trust_ M.C. yet, but she knows they will eventually get there.

With all that has happened in less than two days, she is quite sure that M.C. will play a big role in their lives from now on. 

* * *

_Mano po_. ( _Pagmamano_ ) A gesture of the Filipino custom as a sign of respect to the elderly, or as giving and accepting of a blessing from the elderly. The person giving the greeting bows towards the offered hand of the elder and presses his or her forehead on the elder's hand. This is usually done with the right hand.

 _Teleseryes._ Term used to refer to television series—usually romance and drama—shown during the afternoons and evenings in Philippine time. Usually has a duration of twenty (20) minutes.

 _Sweet Monggo._ (Sweetened mung beans) A Filipino dessert of boiled mung beans served with milk and sugar.

 _Po_ and _Opo._ Filipino words used to show respect to one's elders. The _po_ is usually affixed to the end of sentences or phrases when one is addressing someone older than him/her. _Opo_ is an affirmative response (Yes _po_ ).

 _V-Cut._ A potato-chip product name under Jack n' Jill brand in the Philippines. Famous for its spicy barbecue flavor.

 **A/N:** Thank you for keeping up with this guys! I would love to hear more from you. See you on the next update!

And for questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

And to:

 **MirrorFlame**

Oh you really think so? Thank you very much. I love to draw too! Whenever I am not too preoccupied with school (which I really should be right now), I would either be writing or drawing while watching comedy or action.

I would go to Italy, Germany or Japan. I would tour all of Italy, bike around Germany and buy manga and anime merchandise from Japan. Just for vacation though, I'd still go back to the Philippines and draw to my heart's content. How about you, though?

What do you think about the story so far? I hope to talk to you more. And thanks for the review!

 **BeautifulyCool**

Thank you very much for that! How is school, though? I'll be late on my updates as well. Thank you for your praise!

You probably wouldn't like it here then, since it's hot right now. But the beaches here are wonderful! And cool, we both want a simple life, happy with friends and family.

Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon!

 **LadyRaven83**

Hey! I'm glad you like it. I try to put myself in the RFA's situation to make their reactions more realistic, I also ask around so I can better express it. What I find exciting about this plot though is that even I can be surprised as to what I can actually write, since there are numerous possibilities as to how they can make of the situation. It's like I'm getting to know the characters more as I write, too.

I haven't actually played the game. (WHAT? I know right.) My friend, whom I dedicate this story too, she's the one who is actually into the game. She's the one who tells me every detail, shows me every chatroom, made me listen to calls, and I base what I know and write from her. And that's actually one of the things that I noticed, that made me decide to work on this plot, too. Which is why I wanted to build up M.C.'s character. Further down the story, everyone will be equally important.

I'm really interested in what more you have to say. Thank you so much for the review, Ryze!

 **Kurama 2004**

Hey! So here's the update, what do you think? Thank you so much. I really want M.C. to be a character where a lot of people can relate to, that quality, I think, makes her more interesting. She's violent yet somewhat patient as well. I hope you can stay for the story, RFA, and M.C.s progress.

Thank so much! Let's talk more too. 

* * *

Salamat po!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Hello guys!

I just want to share a little something for a while; so my friend—the one who I dedicate this story to—and I saw each other this week and hung out at her dorm. I was working on my designs when I heard sniffling. I turned and found her tearing up over something she was watching in her phone—which turns out to be the new opening for V's route. She made me watch it, and I got to say, there were really a lot of feels—real different from the first opening theme that they have.

Watching it contributed to the changes I made in this chapter recently, as a treat for her, so this may be a bit more serious than the recent chapters. But I hope you guys enjoy this, anyway.

Thank you for those who are still looking forward to this. Your support really keeps it going.

Warning for some spoilers. And Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10: In which the RFA gets M.C. as an alarm clock**_

* * *

M.C. opened the front door using a duplicate key and was greeted by silence. She checked at her watch, _7:19 Am._

She stepped in and set her umbrella at the drying rack beside the door. It was drizzling outside, not too heavy to be a burden, but enough to warrant a use of an umbrella. Due to the light spray, it was even colder inside the house, with the ACU on.

She crept her way through the short hall and entered the living area, where she found Seven sprawled on the couch, snoring lightly. He was on his back, one arm over his eyes and the other dangling on the edge of the couch. The hacker's sleeveless black shirt wrinkled and up to his stomach. His glasses were settled on the table, beside his phone and her laptop.

 _They are still here. RFA is still here._

She sighed. The situation is really absurd that it surprises her greatly how she's taking all of this in.

M.C. settled her bag at the foot of the couch and rubbed at her lower back. _Really? No one up yet?_ She went up quietly to loft and found Yoosung slumped on a sleeping bag on the floor, surrounded by pillows. She grabbed two blankets from the shelf and spread one over to the blonde. He hummed softly and snuggled deeper into his sleeping mat, hugging a pillow and burying his face in it.

The girl stared at him for a while before climbing back down and settling another blanket over Seven's form. He grumbled something that she didn't comprehend before he turned to his side to hug a throw pillow from the couch. M.C. frowned. _Weren't secret agents supposed to be light sleepers?_ She nudged his leg with her knee. She heard something crunching. _What the—?_

Seven only mumbled more incoherent sounds before grabbing the blanket to cover himself completely and curling up once again. The girl could only assume that they must have stayed up real late again.

M.C. decided to leave the hacker more minutes of rest and stared upstairs. There was no sign of anybody waking up. She sighed and proceeded to the kitchen. _Might as well start on breakfast._

V squinted his eyes open as he roused from the arms of sleep. He yawned and rubbed at his face. There was a certain blurriness in his sight now that would probably only get worse too, as time passes. He sat up and stared blankly at the spot above his blanket-covered legs.

He was fond of the concept memories, and being an artist at heart, he saw photography as its preservation. To look back at a certain photo and recall a certain event from it brings wondrous feelings to a person. How a picture printed on paper can be a whole lot of different things, all depending on who sees it.

His eyesight is obviously important for this career. Now, he wonders what he would do if the time comes that he loses it. _What will become of me then?_

He loves photography. He loves capturing a story in its moment, wondered how a person could interpret his shots.

But he loves Rika more.

He loves her so much more, that he is hurting so much too.

But that is not important.

 _Rika…I hope you are well. Please hold on, until I get back._

V let out a shaky breath. He rubbed at his eyes, and felt a lone tear escape. The photographer wiped at it and took a deep inhale of air before shaking his head slightly. _Not now. There are other things to do._

He hopes his sight can last him at least a few more weeks. He cannot exactly work on the hacker issue right now, and Rika is not in this world either. Everyone is doing their job of coming up with ideas on how they will proceed next—if they will end up staying here longer, the least he can do is contribute to getting them money. With the equipment and a few days, his photography can be an immediate solution to that.

The RFA is his responsibility most especially now, in this new world.

He sighed and got up before his thoughts would lead him anymore astray. There are more important things to tend to today, and seeing as Jumin and Hyun are still sleeping contentedly, breakfast is atop of those concerns.

V was contemplating what to cook for breakfast, when he opened the door and was greeted by the scent of chocolate.

He took in a breath of the sweet-bitter scent and sighed. Due to his slowly-failing eyesight, his other senses have increased. He can also smell a hint of jasmine and basil in the air—certainly a weird combination of scents. V wondered for a moment if Luciel was the one cooking. He gulped nervously and head immediately to the bathroom to wash his face and proceeded to look over the railing.

The sight of Luciel sleeping on the couch confused him more. He looked to the loft, his view landing on the sleeping form of Yoosung. He blinked and wondered who was in the kitchen then. _Maybe Jaehee got up early._ The photographer got back inside the room to fix himself a bit more and went downstairs to the kitchen.

He was a bit stunned to see M.C. standing over the stove, peering into the pots and pans. The sight of her at this time of the morning surprised him, since she _very nearly_ went berserk when woken up early yesterday.

M.C. beat him to greeting her when she turned suddenly and nodded at him, "Yo, V. Good morning!" she turned back to the stove. "You should sit down first. I'm not done with breakfast yet."

"Good morning, M.C." V greeted after he come over his brief shock. "You are quite early, if I had known you would be arriving at this time, I would have gotten up earlier to help."

She waved him off, "Nah, its fine. I got here earlier than I expected too, so I decided to start on breakfast." She grabbed the kettle and poured tea on a blue mug and handed it to V. He nodded his thanks.

M.C. turned back to a pot on the stove and began stirring its contents. "I guess you guys slept late. Again."

V chuckled and sipped at his tea before replying, "Yes, well, we had to settle things before going to bed. And we came to a number of thoughts last night." M.C. turned to him at this, a question in her eyes, but the photographer merely shook his head. "We will tell you more on it later, after breakfast." He walked towards her and looked over at her shoulder. "What are you making? How can I help?" he asked.

M.C. squirmed a bit and scooted a bit further from him, "Oh, this? It's called _champorado._ You could say it's like…chocolate rice porridge." She snorted as she stirred the contents of the pot, "I made this intentionally, by the way."

V blinked before he laughed. "Right, I apologize if our accidental plain porridge is not up to par with your intentionally-cooked chocolate-flavored one."

She scratched at her cheek and laughed lightly with him. "Yes, well you'll eventually learn." She tasted the porridge. "Still needs more…" she mumbled to herself before adding another small cocoa ball from a pack beside the stove. M.C. stirred before bringing the ladle to her lips and tasting again. "Better." She stirred a bit more and turned off the burner for the pot of _champorado._

She had the ladle at her hands when she stared horrifyingly at it, then at V, who was looking at her amusedly. She gasped and brought a hand to her mouth, "Sorry! I didn't mean to—it's just—we cook that way. At home. We don't bother—I don't have a cold so don't worry! I'm not sick or—" she looked at the ladle with wide eyes.

V merely smiled and handed her his mug of tea. She grabbed it and he took the ladle form her hands. The photographer brought it to his mouth and took a taste of the chocolate treat, right off the ladle. M.C. stared at him incredulously as he slowly licked at his lips, "Tastes good."

M.C. gave him a blank look before yanking the ladle from his grip. "Why did you do that? Now I have to wash this!" her lip curled as she reprimanded him. The photographer only chuckled and shook his head at her.

She set his mug on the counter and proceeded to wash the utensil clean. "And that is not quite done yet. You can add any other flavor or sweetener to enhance its taste. It all depends on the person, really." She rinsed the ladle and wiped it dry. "That's how most dishes are done here. Filipinos tend to play with flavors concerning their food according to their own tastes." M.C. stirred the _champorado_ with the newly-washed ladle, "I like to drizzle condensed milk on mine. Lots of it, really. I even add bits of dried fish sometimes."

The photographer blinked his aqua-white eyes. "Dried fish, you say?"

M.C. grinned, "Yes! Mostly, _tuyo_." She crossed her arms, "It may sound weird but it actually makes the _champorado_ taste even better—it's the Sweet and Salty Rule!"

"That sounds like something Luciel would say."

"Seven may be odd but he says things with the most sense, at times."

Said man suddenly sat up, before groaning and falling back to the couch, slumbering again. M.C. could only wonder what he could be dreaming about.

V took his mug again and sipped at his tea. "Anyways, that law quite is interesting." He paused and added, "And don't worry, I won't tell Jumin about the tasting thing."

M.C. scoffed and started fixing the rest of the meals. "I don't care if he knows. If he is not pleased, then his highness can fix himself his own breakfast." At that she paused and sighed. "Sorry. That was rude. I have eggs here," she lifted a lid off a big plate filled with different kinds of omelettes, "and I promise it doesn't have any traces of me or my spit."

V choked on his drink, "Oh please, M.C. It is fine. Let's just forget I ever saw that happen." The girl hummed before going back to preparing breakfast. "How are you guys settling in so far?"

"It's been good. And it is all thanks to you, for the help you have given and are continuing to give us." he stared forlornly at her back. "We…would have probably had a tougher time if it weren't for you."

"I'm pretty sure someone else could be of more help to you than I could have been," M.C. said it casually. With her back facing him, she did not get to see the confused stare that V had on his face. Before he could comment, she continued on. "But you are here now anyways, so that is that." She turned to him, plates of omelets in hand. "How are you, V?" she said in a softer tone.

V stood up from his seat on the bar stool and grabbed the plates from her. He set them down on the dining table. "I am quite fine, thank you for asking. How about you, M.C.?" he replied politely.

The girl snorted. "Quit being so nice and pleasant. Just be honest this time."

The photographer looked to the side as he gave a wry smile, "Your bluntness outstands me, even more so than Jumin's."

When M.C. remained silent, V took a hold of his mug again, but didn't take a drink. "I…I am really just confused right now."

The girl gave a nod, "That's understandable."

"And you?"

"My brain is still not processing any of this right."

V chuckled, "Pretty bizarre, isn't it?"

"Yes, but not the point. Nice try, but I am not letting you off the hook yet." She paused. "Am I not allowed to mention Rika?" she asked him quietly, her face not portraying anything.

The fact that she did mention her name anyway amuses V even more. _What are you getting at, little girl?_ "Please do so if you see the need to."

"I'm not fond of talking about other people. But since she's got lots to do with you, it can't be helped." She looked him in the eye. "I know how important she is to everybody. I can't help but admire how she brought you guys together and form a fund-raising group." M.C. sighed. "But she isn't the main concern right now, this situation is—you guys are."

The photographer frowned, "I know that, M.C."

"And you should know that they will have to know eventually. All of it. What you think is best for everyone then wouldn't work anymore now. Not here, with me, at least. Because _I_ know, and I wouldn't stand not doing anything about it." M.C. looked at him hard. "And it is not only Rika that is so important to them, V. You are too. Please think about that."

"I love her, M.C."

"I know you do. But know that love…sometimes, it is not enough of a reason."

V's brows furrowed as he bit his lip.

 _Guess it's time to lighten the mood._ M.C. then cringed exaggeratedly. "Oh, wow. Can't believe I'm spouting this mush so early in the morning. That cliché line is giving me the shivers."

The photographer blinked at the honest humor in her eyes. He was thankful for it, nonetheless. "Well, you did start it. The morning does wonders for your mood, doesn't it?" He rebutted playfully.

She snorted. "Yeah, whatever. You should see me at night, I am a real monster, then."

V gave a small laugh.

A moment of silence.

And then, "Oh, M.C.?"

The girl raised her right brow at him in response.

"I am quite fine, honestly. The blurriness, I am still trying to get used to. And…I think the days we will get to spend here are something to look forward to, certainly."

"With you guys? I think it will be one heck of a ride." M.C. smiled. "Glad to know, Jihyun." She turned to the sink to wash her glass.

The young man fell in awe silence at her address.

The girl suddenly faced him again and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, yeah. Once we get enough resources, we'll get you to a decent hospital and have your eyes checked soon."

"I agree with her on that one." A voice said from behind her. She jumped and turned to glare at the raven head. "Don't just sneak up on anybody like that!"

Jumin looked down at her. "Good morning to you too, M.C."

She glared at him some more before turning to the rest of the plates. She handed Jumin another mug of tea and set the kettle on the table, along with a bottle of honey and a small bowl of sugar. The pot of _champorado_ soon followed, along with a can of evaporated and condensed milk. M.C. also brought out a bowl of fruit from the refrigerator. She poured fruit juice all over it and mixed in gelatin cubes before setting it out on the table. She grabbed a paper bag of bread from her bag and set it next to the plate of omelettes.

The heir turned to his friend, "It still confuses me as to why you do not want them to be treated. Now that all of us know about the condition of your eyes, you'll find how difficult it would be to deny treatment now."

Judging from the corporate director's lack of questions, V concluded that he did not get to hear the earlier parts of their conversation. The photographer just stared at the girl's working form, her words from earlier still playing on his mind, "I deserved what happened. I have done so many things wrong, and less things right."

"You are quite a stubborn little boy, aren't you?" M.C. suddenly turned around and narrowed her eyes at him, "Refusing to treat your eyes will just result to you letting an opportunity go. Your friends are obviously concerned for you, and would very much like to help you. What will you about that?" she looked at him intently.

 _This is the exact situation._

 _What will you do about it?_

V looked at Jumin, then at her, "I promise to think about it."

M.C. sniffed, "Fine. That's good enough." she excused herself to the bathroom.

V translated it as, _I am letting you off the hook for now, little fish._

The raven-head stared inquiringly then at the photographer, "The girl has you on a leash that quick? In just a few days?"

"Oh, quit it. We are all on her leash here."

"Is it because she knows, that you are actually listening to her?" the heir asked more.

"You know that I'm too stubborn to listen just because of that. You sound hurt. Are you infuriated that you do not know yet?"

"And you know that I'm too proud to get infuriated just because of that. Get serious and answer the question."

V sighed and rubbed at his eyes, "M.C. knows us as characters in a game, much like how a person knows a character in a movie or a book. Her views on us is entirely different from how we perceive ourselves and others to be because she can literally see outside the complicated box that is our lives. It is only natural to be curious about what a complete stranger who knows a lot about you has to say, don't you think?"

Jumin blinked, "I do not particularly care about what she would say about me."

"Even if she probably knows how your attachment to Elizabeth the 3rd came to be?"

"I would not care if she bashes about that either. Elizabeth the 3rd is the love of my life."

"What makes you so sure that she will bash about it? What if she completely says the exact opposite? Will you not be the least bit curious on what she has to say?"

The heir stayed silent at that. He eventually mumbled, "How bothersome."

M.C. emerged from the bathroom then, talking to someone in through phone. "No, I already said that I wouldn't come every Saturdays. Anyways, why did you call?" she looked bashfully at the other two. V gave her a small smile and Jumin shrugged.

She looked back at her phone strangely, "The files from yesterday? It's inside a brown envelope at the table where the blueprints are. Is Architect Angie not there yet?" a response from the phone. Then her eyes widened, "The boss?! Looking for me…?" she scurried off to her bag and shuffled through its contents.

Jumin sipped at his tea before asking, "How long has she been here, anyway?" His friend shrugged, "I woke up and she's already cooking a feast."

" _Meeting?!_ "

They both turned to her. M.C. gulped and looked at Seven, who shuffled a bit then went back to slight snoring. She sighed and fiercely whispered, "I didn't know there was supposed to be a meeting today!"

They saw her shuffle through a worn-out notebook. "Okay, I got it! I'll send you the numbers after this. Call them in a little while, at nine maybe? Then if you open Architect Angie's computer, the floor plan that I was working on yesterday was saved at the lone folder there…yes. Yeah, that's it! Have it printed in five copies and hand it to those shameless bastards at the office."

Jumin choked on his tea, "Did she just—?"

V chuckled, "You didn't know? That's how most people refer to the heads of corporate offices these days."

The heir gave him an unimpressed look.

M.C. laughed at the other person on the line, "You just feed the paper through—yeah, that's it. Then press five, then 'OK'…yeah. Exactly. " She scratched at her temple, "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was supposed to be today. I left early yesterday so I didn't hear the announcement. I didn't even get to eat the free _pansit_ that Engineer Paul treated me for lunch!"

She was lax at that moment.

The heir blinked, "So she did leave her work early? And yet…"

"She must have been somewhere else when something happened yesterday." V looked at her again. "Let's drop it for now."

"Yeah, okay. I think that is all there is need to be done from us…" M.C. sighed. "No, I was supposed to have classes this morning, but something came up. So just call me if you need anything else…Alright, thanks. See you on Monday." She hung up.

"You skipped your classes today?" Jumin immediately asked.

"Of course that's what you'll say." M.C. mumbled under her breath. "It's not actually a required class. This is more important, anyway." She browsed through her notebook for the suppliers that her boss was looking for.

V poured himself another cup of tea, "You seem too busy for an apprentice." He commented.

"I don't even know why they keep handing these things to me, when there are six of us there. And I'm still new."

"Maybe because your nickname is two letters long." Jumin quipped.

M.C. blinked. "You know? I think I remember someone at work saying the exact same thing." She shook her head. "But anyway, the big boss is at the site and it turns out we have a meeting with the client today." She finished sending the contact numbers and sighed. "The head architect is still not there yet so he looked for me instead. But they'll be fine. I organized the papers that they would need for the presentation before too. Also, I already instructed my fellow trainees on what to do, and to contact me if needed."

"What a responsible trainee you are." Jumin praised. "If you ever work for me, I would pay you generously."

"Yeah, working for you? Sounds like the dream." She snorted.

"A lot of people would think so, yes."

M.C. gave him a blank look.

V chuckled, "She's not actually fond of people who chiefs the corporate offices, remember?"

"You just indirectly called me a shameless bastard."

"I didn't say anything like that. She did."

M.C. shook her head, "You are a bunch of kids." She went to the kitchen counter to prod on the coffee machine.

Jumin looked over her shoulder. "Where are the coffee beans, M.C.? Is it Arabica or Robusta?"

The girl started and inched away from him. After deeming the machine too complex and utterly useless—V pursed his lips to prevent his smile from growing—she proceeded to the kitchen drawers and grabbed a pack instead. "Sorry. No coffee beans."

The heir blinked. "How are we supposed to have coffee without coffee beans?"

M.C. only huffed before handing him the pack. "This, dearest Jumin, is instant coffee."

"Instant coffee? How does it work?"

The girl snorted and gestured with her hands. "It is magic." She grinned and grabbed the filled thermos to set in the bar counter.

Jumin read the pack's contents as he sipped at his tea.

M.C. sighed and shook her head at him. She turned to V, "You two should get settled, I'll wake the others."

She went to the couch and put a hand on the hacker's shoulder. "Hey God Seven, time to wake up and grace the world with your exasperating presence."

Seven grumbled and opened his eyes, "Did I hear you say awesomeness?" he slurred.

"Nope."

"Pretty sure you did."

M.C. shook her head. "What were you dreaming about anyway? You keep shuffling and groaning."

"I am always a restless being, even in my slumber."

M.C. saw something peeking out from his back and reached for it. Her hands grazed Seven's exposed back, from which his shirt has ridden up due to his scuffling.

The hacker felt a shiver run down his spine, and goosebumps flood his skin.

M.C. did not notice as she yanked the object and frowned. "Or maybe you are stupid enough to sleep on these." She stared hard at the paper origamis she held in her hands. "What…are these supposed paper sheep?" she joked before narrowing her eyes at him. "And how can you stand this cold in that?"

Seven, who was still lying down, fixed his shirt embarrassingly. To save face, he grinned at her from his perch. "You should really stop staring."

"Pretty sure I wasn't." she jabbed, her eyes on the paper sheep.

 _Error. Face not saved._

V and Jumin snorted. Seven lifted his head to glare at them before grabbing the origamis from M.C. and the rest from behind his back. He settled them on the table. "Yes, those are paper sheep. I needed to sleep, didn't I?" he huffed.

 _Oh, wow. How is this a sheep?_ "Usually, you just count them in your mind and avoid wasting paper."

Seven shook his head at her. "Where's the fun in that?"

M.C. shook her head at him, right back. "You are so peculiar." She mumbled softly, her brows furrowed.

"You…have such a cute voice when it's all small like that…" he yawned and stretched.

Her brow ticked. "You better be up by the time I get back down if you do not want to hear some nasty things coming from my mouth next time." She growled and stomped up the stairs.

Jumin and V choked on their tea. "We seem to be doing that a lot this morning."

Seven's ears turned pink. "Ah…not what she meant, not what she meant…" he grumbled into his pillow before getting up. He turned towards the two figures at the dining table and whispered fiercely, "I knew it! We are all perverts here!"

"That is because it is still too early in the morning." Jumin said quietly as he shook his mug gently. V rubbed at the back of his neck before waving him off. "Wash up Luciel, before she hits you again."

The redhead jumped, grabbed his glasses and dashed to the bathroom. _She does have soft hands._ He growled at that thought before shutting the door.

V and Jumin blinked.

"You know, that was quite dirty."

"Shut up before she hears you."

Jumin turned back to the instant coffee pack. "Isn't this just quaint, V? It says here, you only have to add hot water and mix it altogether."

"I know how instant coffee works, Jumin. I'm not a caveman."

The heir frowned at him. "That's twice now."

V just laughed at his childhood friend.

Upstairs, M.C. stared down at the sleeping form at the floor.

Yoosung always imagined his dream girl waking him up with sweet whispers, and maybe even a bit of cuddling…

M.C. kneeled beside the blonde's sleeping form on the floor and shook him awake. "Yoosung! Wake up~ Time for breakfast. Get up!"

He whined, "Five more minutes…" he turned over to the other side and buried himself in the pillows. M.C. shook him harder. "Yoosung! Up!" The girl huffed when he remained lax and dug through the pile of pillows. She took one and slapped him with hit, "C'mon now, we must not keep food waiting. We have a long day ahead of us!"

"Alright, I'm up! I'm up…" he yawned and sat up. Only to fall on his back again.

M.C. huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Get up Yoosung, or Seven will finish all the food before you have any." She hit him hard with a pillow one more time before proceeding to the second bedroom.

"Ooof!" Yoosung groaned and peeked an eye open. _What a wake-up call._

…He got a violent shake and a pillow shoved at his face instead. _Figures._

Yoosung yawned again and waited for M.C. to enter the bedroom before finally getting to the bathroom on the same floor.

The girl peered up at the top bed of the double decker and saw silver hair peeking out of the blankets. M.C. stepped up on the edge of the bottom bed and reached over the railing to shake the sleeping form gently. "Oy, Zen. Wake up."

M.C. pulled at the blankets and it revealed the young man's handsome face. She pouted and grumbled, "How can anybody look this good while sleeping? Good-looking people like this one should at least look horrendous at some point of their lives…" and said in a louder voice, "Hey, come on. Time to get up for breakfast, pretty boy."

Zen, eyes still closed, gave a small smile and replied in a husky voice, "I'll wake if you call me by my name, darling."

Her brow twitched. "Call me 'darling' again, and I'll beat you to pulp before you wake."

Zen's eyes snapped open and shook his head. "No, sorry M.C.! Don't hit me please!" he buried his face in the blankets.

She scoffed and pulled at his sheets. "Get up, you!" She pulled hard and revealed Zen's _shirtless_ scrunched up form, his arms protecting his face. M.C. snorted, "Come on and stop acting like a baby. You are a grown man! _And why are you shirtless again_?!" she grabbed at the shirt that was hung on the railing and slapped him repeatedly with it.

"I'm used to sleeping this way…" the musical actor grabbed the shirt from M.C. and gave a small glare.

M.C. glared back before tossing his hair tie at him. She stepped back on the floor and went to the door. She sighed and turned back, "I made breakfast this time, Hyun. Come on out in a little while when you're decent." She rolled her eyes at him and shut the door.

Zen stared at the door a bit more before rubbing at his eyes. _Women are scary._

When M.C. attempted to knock on the first bedroom door, Jaehee beat her to opening it. M.C. jumped, "Oh! Hey Jaehee." She smiled at her. "I was just about to wake you. Breakfast is ready. I made coffee too!"

Yoosung just got out of the bathroom, his face washed and hair fixed. Zen also emerged from the other bedroom door, even with bed-ridden hair he still looks good. Yoosung gave him a stare and Zen shrugged his shoulders. They both turned to the two ladies conversing.

Jaehee gave a gentle smile at her. "Yes, thanks M.C. I will be down in a little while. Sorry to bother you with breakfast."

M.C. just laughed it off. "It's fine. I got here early anyway."

"She talks so pleasantly with her, I'm jealous." The blonde grumbled under his breath. Zen nodded, "Women are strange, strange creatures, Yoosung."

* * *

After a hearty breakfast ("What is this?" Stare. "M.C. said it's called _champorado_." Blink. "Yeah…and what is it?" Sigh. "It's like chocolate rice porridge, alright? Now will you just eat?" Glare. "Yes, mama." Slap. … "What are you doing?" Look. "Are you blind, huh? I'm pouring milk." Gasp. "Hey, be more sensitive, will you?" Groan. "Why are you pouring milk?" Pause. "Because he said M.C. takes hers this way, and I want mine to taste the same." Nod. "Oh, M.C., can I—" "MIX WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH THAT DISH AND JUST EAT IT, WILL YOU?!"), the rest of the RFA told M.C. what ideas came up last night.

The aspiring architect stared blankly at her tea and listened to what they said. She would nod at times, and hum and mumble to herself at a few; otherwise, she kept quiet.

When they finished, V turned to her. "So…what do you think?"

M.C. shook her head slowly. "It's…yeah. I don't know." She scratched at her head and sighed. "Stupid…it's pretty stupid."

"And I agree with you on that one." Seven quipped. "As a being of logical thinking and coherent reasoning—"

Yoosung snorted. "Yeah, sure."

"—I deem this situation as _stupid_ and _senseless._ "

They stared at him. "That's the result of your logical thinking and coherent reasoning?"

Jaehee rolled her eyes, "Anyway, M.C. As much as those theories don't make sense, it actually explains a little bit more about out predicament."

M.C. nodded, "Yes, I know. Well, you being here is _unexplainable_ , so what is a few more to make sense of the situation, right?" she scratched at her head and laughed. "But anyway, let's try to make sense of what we have to do now, first."

V nodded and turned to Seven, "So, what do we got to work with, Luciel?"

"Well," the ginger scratched at his chin, "I got the identity cards and information fixed, though no hard copy yet. But it has already been ingrained in this world's system. Fakebook and tweeter accounts transferred to facebook and twitter database, though that is not quite done yet. Individual accounts are still at work. And…" he ran for M.C.'s laptop on the living room table and set it in front of M.C. on the dining table.

Yoosung grabbed at the paper figure that got carried away with the laptop. "Is this supposed to be a sheep?"

Zen shook his head. "It's just trash, Yoosung." He grabbed the paper ball from the blonde and threw it to the trash can.

Seven gasped. "You just threw Margaret! How could you?! She was a lovely sheep…"

The actor stared at him incredulously. "Seriously?"

"M.C. got it right!"

The girl rolled her eyes. _Only because I was joking._ "Whatever. What were you about to show?"

Seven sat next to her and turned the device on. He typed quickly and turned the screen to show it to the others. M.C.'s eyes widened, "I have no idea how to use banks so… _what is this?_ "

Seven's eyeglasses glinted and he smiled cheekily, "This, my dear M.C., is the new bank account and financial record of RFA."

She gulped, "That's a lot of zeroes." She turned to the others, "What…?"

Jaehee looked at the screen too and merely blinked, "Well, we are a fundraising association." she smiled at her, "We are bound to have money, with the parties that we organize."

M.C. blinked owlishly at her, then at the screen, "Yeah, okay, I get that. But, this is—" she bit her lip, "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend or anything. I just didn't expect the RFA to have…this much."

"Jumin also had a hand in this as well, M.C. He manages our financial records and concerns. Of course, having a businessman as great as him would do well for our organization." V said as he finished his tea.

"I'm starting to think I only exist in this organization for the money."

"Aw, don't be like that! You don't look so bad either, you attract all those old married and unmarried women to donate to us!"

"Is that supposed to console me?"

"How did you manage to get it?" M.C. asked again, "Is it because of that 'filtering dump system' that you mentioned earlier?"

The hacker snorted, "Pretty sure those weren't the words that I used…but yeah! That is it, my dear. Let's call it 'FDS' because M.C. is that creative!"

The girl punched his shoulder.

Jumin scoffed, "Great, another acronym."

Zen whistled, "That hacking feat is still pretty impressive. I wouldn't even think that transporting information between worlds is possible."

"Not denying the fact that I am great, I wouldn't believe the transporting thing too, otherwise." Seven replied, "The FDS contributed greatly to making it possible. I tried deciphering the codes involved in it, but I don't want to risk M.C.'s laptop and personal information."

"Hacker, transporting dimensions, RFA secrets, FDS…this just keeps getting bigger by the day!" Yoosung frowned at his fruit cup.

Jaehee sighed. "At least the RFA bank account is now accessible. And we now have identities, what's left is to have the papers, hardcopies and other outputs."

"Papers for what?"

The RFA stared at each other before looking back at M.C. Their leader spoke up, "For whatever it is that may be required of us here."

M.C. blinked, "Why would you need those? Eleven days isn't that much of a time for you to actually need any other papers…" she trailed off. Then her eyes narrowed. "Unless you think that…?"

"We have no idea whatsoever, M.C., and are unsure about what is happening as much as you are." Jumin answered, "It is not that we doubt your reasoning, you are the one familiar with the game after all. But it would not hurt to be prepared."

V handed the architecture student a fruit cup and taped her lightly on the forehead, "Please do not worry. We will make sure to work on the remaining of the eleven days for now."

M.C. frowned and rubbed at the spot. She sniffed haughtily before muttering, "Okay, I get what you mean." She sighed, "But promise me we will work on getting you back in eleven days and not dwell on the possibility of staying longer."

V nodded at her, "We promise."

The girl scoffed, "I take these promises seriously so, yeah, good." She looked back at the screen as she took in a spoonful of fruit. _So many zeroes...wait—_ she swallowed deeply."Hey," she blinked and inched closer to the screen, "this RFA bank account is—"

The hacker looked at the screen, then at her and replied, "Hm? Oh, yeah. I had it registered under yours."

M.C. gasped. " _What—_ " she swallowed hard, "— _all that money is…_ " she took out her wallet from her bag and got her card. "…you mean to say, that all that money is accessible by this card? _My card?_ "

Seven nodded. "Yup. It is the only account that we can connect to here, you know." He scratched at his head and typed some more. "It seemed that a few banks—including the ones you and your family are registered to—are having errors in their system as of late. The banks are probably updating their system. I saw it in the midnight news last night and the idea came to me!" he grinned, "Those small errors and pauses were all I needed to get into their records. Then I did my magic and—BAM! Hello RFA funds!"

The RFA members stared. M.C. continued to look at the screen, her mouth open. Yoosung gaped at him, "You…are one hell of a hacker, Seven!"

Seven laughed and put an arm around M.C. He smiled cheekily, "I'm pretty awesome, aren't I?"

M.C. nodded slowly and gave a small breathy laugh. "Yeah…" the redhead's smile widened. "…and you are one dangerous man."

Seven looked at her. She turned to him then, her face a few inches away from his…

"I should be really careful with my stuff when I'm around you, huh?"

M.C. mumbled some things to herself—"…keep my phone…wallet in my bag…should avoid posting much…passwords and locks…"—as she turned away from the hacker and back to the screen to inspect the webpage further.

Jumin scoffed. Jaehee shook her head. V tried to suppress a smile. Zen rubbed at his temples. Yoosung stifled a laugh—and failed.

Seven blinked and groaned. He clicked his tongue and took his arm off of her shoulders. "You really know how to ruin the mood, huh?"

"M-hmm…" M.C. continued to inspect the screen.

And Yoosung laughed out right.

Zen shook his head at him, "Denied, bro."

Seven crossed his arms and pouted. V gave an amused laugh at Seven before turning to all of them, "Let's get ready, then?"

* * *

 _Champorado._ A Filipino cuisine of sweet chocolate rice porridge. It makes use of sweet glutinous rice (locally known as _malagkit_ ) and _tableya_ (pure cocoa blocks) or cocoa powder as its main ingredients.

 _Tuyo._ A type of salted and sun-dried fish popular in the Philippines. Pretty cheap and considered as a significant Filipino comfort food.

 _Pansit._ Fried or boiled noodle dishes, mixed with meat and vegetables that varies on the type of dish. There are different kinds in the Philippines, and this dish is usually served and eaten on significant holidays or celebrations.

 **A/N:** A bit longer than the other chapters too. Maybe some of you have noticed how there is many things happening that the story seemed scattered, but I like to write what is happening as close to the real life, where there are a numerous of things happening to us, in even just a minute. But if you think it is too much, then I hope you can make your thoughts known to me. I would be very grateful.

Well, see you on the next update! And for questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

And to:

 **BeautifulyCool**

Hey thanks! I am glad the last chapter made you laugh at least. And yeah, I just could not resist the jab on the fourth wall, I had to give it a go.

You are starting class now, right? How was it? And how was the move?

My classes only fall on four days a week but everything is tiring nonetheless. Most of them are evening classes so it makes the day last much longer, really.

Anyway, thanks again! Looking forward to your review.

 **MirrorFlame**

Hello! Well, all kinds of stuff. But I like drawing anime most of the time. I actually have a hand-drawn sketch cover for this story already, but I haven't gotten any coloring done. I laze when I am about to color, so most of my sketches are just grayscale.

Wow, that seems cool to. Just starveling and seeing the world, no? I would love that too, but that would cost so much that it hurts.

Thank you for taking interest in this! I can't actually give much of a spoiler, as I write what comes to mind at random times. But I hope you look forward to this anyways.

And yeah, how do you come up with these? Here in the Philippines, we call this _Fast Talk,_ but it's like a fast interview thing. Anyway, I would like my last words to be, "I have done what I need to do." And my last meal to be a home-cooked one. And you?

Thank you again! And I hope to hear more of your thought on this story too.

 **littleteddybearstitches**

I actually got the shivers when I read this. Thank you for thinking so! _Nakakatuwa na may Pinoy din na nakakabasa nito, pero nakakakaba din kasi baka may mga masulat akong di ganon ka sakto. Pero salamat pa din! Sana patuloy mo pa 'tong subaybayan. At sana makapag-iwan ka pa ng_ reviews _sa_ future.

* * *

Salamat po!


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hey, I'm back with an update! I apologize for taking so long, things have been busy lately.

So…shopping! This segment will cover a number of chapters too, four or five at the least. I know, it sounds long, but I'm focusing on M.C.'s individual relationships with each of the RFA members, so yeah.

I received news from my friend (she screamed and squealed like crazy when the update was released, only to whine so bad because she still lacks the hourglass to purchase it—it bothered me to the point that I actually left her in my own dorm) that the new V route will be set two years prior the original tory so I am guessing it will have some changes when it come to a few events. But my story will not rely too much on the facts of both stories, so take note of that if you ever see any discrepancies.

Warning for some spoilers, and Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11: In which there was Girl Talk and a white dress  
**_

* * *

While the rest of the RFA were getting themselves ready for the day, M.C. decided to settle at the living room couch. _ **  
**_

"It is too early in the morning to be lazing about."

"Shush, you. She had an early day."

Okay, not settle. More like slump ungracefully and nap on the couch. Both of her feet were perched at the arm rest and her left arm was dangling at the edge. Her face was half-covered by a throw pillow.

After deciding on doing some buying and shopping for necessities with the acquired RFA funds, they proceeded to getting ready. V and Jumin, being the first ones to finish, were now seated at each of the armchairs. Their topic of discussion, obviously, is the napping form on the couch.

M.C. groaned slightly and continued her doze.

Jumin tilted his head, "She sleeps like a man."

"That is not a good thing to say to a lady." V replied and rubbed at his temples.

The raven-head shrugged his shoulders. "I doubt that even Assistant Kang sprawls like that when she is alone." He turned to V while gesturing to M.C. "Yet she slumps like that even in the presence of males. How inelegant."

V raised his eyebrow at him. "I've only ever seen you this bothered a handful of times, Jumin. Why does it concern you so?" he then turned his gaze back to M.C., who shifted a bit and now has her back turned to them.

Jumin narrowed his eyes at him and crossed his arms. "I am not bothered. I am merely being honest, like what she wants." He patted invisible dust off of his sleeves, in an effort to look nonchalant.

The aqua-haired man, having known him for years, merely chuckled, "I do not think that is the honesty that M.C. is referring to," he shrugged his shoulders, "but then again, she will be the judge of that."

The corporate heir turned his gaze to M.C. again before replying. "I do not quite understand, V. Care to clarify?"

He only smiled, "I rather you figure it out on your own."

Before the other could inquire further, a growl came from the couch, "Can't I take a nap without your unnecessary jabs?" M.C. turned and peeked an eye out from the pillow to glare at the both of them.

Jumin blinked and cleared his throat, "So you heard?"

M.C. just continued to glare before closing her eyes again, "Whatever. I can sleep however I want. If you're so bothered then turn your attention to something that actually wants it, then." She sniffed. Even as she said those words, she removed her feet from the armrest and crossed her arms over her stomach. She turned her back to them once again before curling up.

V got up from the armchair and nudged Jumin's shoulder. He gave him a pointed look and gestured to M.C. before heading to the kitchen.

The businessman blinked before sighing, "I do not know what I said wrong but I apologize."

M.C. snorted, "Save it."

After a few minutes of attempting to nap again she snapped and suddenly sat up, "And what, pray tell, is taking everybody so long?!"

A crash.

"Coming, M.C.!" Seven said from the bathroom at the ground floor.

"What was that?!"

Some shuffling before Zen leaned over the railing. His hair was damp and let down. "Sorry, sorry." He rubbed at his neck and headed back to the bedroom. Yoosung appeared after and laughed nervously, "We'll be down in a few more minutes!" He rushed to the second floor bathroom and shut the door.

Jaehee came out from the other bedroom and proceeded down to the living area. She cleared her throat and sat next to her, "I apologize, M.C. I had Mr. Han shower first and—"

"Hey, it's alright." M.C. smiled at her. When she looked at the brunette again, she beamed, "Oh! I think this is the first time I have seen you in casual clothing. You look awesome!"

Jaehee bowed her head and chuckled, "Yes, well, thank you. I wear corporate and formal clothing most of the time since I work, well…most of the time."

M.C.'s smile disappeared at that, "Yeah, and we have Mr. Prim and Proper to thank for that, don't we?" at this, she glared at Jumin before getting up and stomping to the kitchen. V, who was heading back to the living room with a pack of _Frutos_ in hand, got the candy snatched from him. Seeing M.C.'s scowl, he merely smiled and stepped out of her way. The girl proceeded to the refrigerator, all the while mumbling to herself.

Jaehee and V stared at M.C. before looking back to Jumin. The raven-haired man stared at them questioningly, "Was it something I said?"

V shook his head and Jaehee sighed. "Isn't it always?"

Jumin just huffed and leaned back on his seat.

And fifteen minutes of grumbling, cursing, and apologizing later, they were finally ready to go out. M.C. sighed and got out her phone. "Alright, Trinoma and SM North are two of the largest malls here in Quezon City. They are also just next to each other so I'm sure whatever you are looking for can be found there." She paused before scoffing, "except girlfriends."

Seven was about to reply before M.C. cut him off with a glare and a firm "No." she typed at her phone. "I'll just call a ride." She blinked, "Oh! That's right, with a list full of things that we need to buy for you guys, we have to stop by the bank first. I need to ask how we will be able to get through my card limit."

The RFA nodded.

Yoosung peered over her shoulder, "Are you having Sab give us a ride?"

M.C. scoffed, "No. And why is it always him?" she sighed, "There is this public utility car service called _Uber_. It is sort of like taking a cab or taxi, but rather than waving them off the street, the driver can be contacted through a phone application like this one." She showed the _Uber_ icon to them. "It is rather opportune renting for pick-up and drop-off, especially at places where taxis are rare. And the fee is already fixed to! But it varies on the distance covered."

Zen nodded, "How convenient."

M.C. shrugged, "Though internet connection is needed to use the app. I rarely use _Uber_ , but for this occasion I think it would be easier for all of us."

"How do you get from place to place then, M.C.?" Yoosung questioned. "Do you ride those UV vans instead?"

She nodded, "Yes, but not all the time. It all depends on the routes. Sometimes I take the _jeepneys_ and _tricycles_ , even the train when needed. I don't have a car or a motorcycle so I have to make do with public transportation, like the common and unmannered folk that I am."

They blinked and turned to Jumin.

He stared blankly at M.C., who continued typing on her phone.

Said phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered, "Yes, okay. Let us meet in half an hour, thank you." She hung up and grabbed her things. "Let's go, our ride is on the way."

* * *

"You okay, M.C.?"

Said person blinked and snapped out of her thoughts, "Yeah!"

It turns out that a branch of her bank is just at the corner of the street where the rented house was situated at. They walked their way there and were now standing outside said bank.

For fifteen minutes now.

Jumin rubbed at his temples, "What kind of invisible force is stopping you from going in, M.C.? Because I am pretty sure that none of us are."

The student glared at him before letting out a deep breath. "Sorry…it's just—I hate banks. And hospitals. And offices. It just seems so dull and dead and intimidating—like anyone would just randomly devour you or something! Feed your soul to their corporate bosses!"

"I am an executive director and—"

"Exactly!"

Zen laughed at Jumin's slightly pissed-off face and he turned to M.C., "I don't think you'll be devoured in there anytime soon, dearest. We are in a tight schedule, you know. You said the ride will be here in a while."

M.C. sighed, "Yeah, you're right. Let's just head in."

…

Since it was still early morning, the bank was void of customers yet. And so M.C. got to talk to one of the accountants immediately, with Jaehee and Seven. The rest of the RFA were lounging at the available benches.

They looked at M.C., who was clenching her fists tight and eyeing the male accountant warily, as if he'll assault her any moment.

Yoosung shook his head at her, "She's as tense as a coiled spring about to bounce off."

"I think M.C. is not too fond of working with systems—in all senses. I remember how she murder-stared the ACU last time just because _it can't seem to turn on._ And she just can't relax right now."

"It is probably because she does not understand the mechanics and ways of such things." Jumin commented, "It is only right to be cautious of what you do not know."

V looked at M.C., who was now signing papers. She looked back and forth between Jaehee, Seven and the accountant, who was conversing with each other, and bowed her head. "Artists like her hates being restricted to a degree—maybe that is why she seems so uncomfortable in places running on systems and numbers."

"Yet she likes to keep things neat and organized. How crazy." Zen sighed. "And what's with earlier? Did you do something to piss her off?" the albino questioned the heir.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Maybe she just woke up on the wrong side of the couch earlier." Jumin scoffed.

They saw her get up and go to the deposit and withdrawal machines with Jaehee in tow. Seven headed to them with papers in his hand.

"These are bank application forms, my dear friends. And I need each of you to fill it up." The ginger said as he handed each of them the two-page application form. "This is just in case we ever need our own money."

V took of his sunglasses and squinted at the papers, "With what info, Luciel?"

"Our existing one, the same one we use at our world for our transactions."

Yoosung blinked, "But is that even—"

"Shush, my little brother, and just fill it up. Everything is going the way it is. Leave it to me." Seven merely waved his concerns off.

"Well, alright…"

They filled up the forms and handed it to the man on the desk earlier. The accountant reviewed their forms and nodded, "I'll just have these processed then. I suggest you come back in two or three days so we can verify these further."

Seven nodded at the employee, "Alright, Arthur. Thanks, see ya next week!"

With that done, all they had to do was wait for whatever it is the two females were doing.

And they didn't have to wait long, as they saw them approaching, Jaehee smiling amusingly at a pale M.C., who was clutching her backpack as if it was a deciding matter between life and death.

"…You okay?" Seven eyed her warily.

She nodded frantically, "I'm fine, let's go. The _Uber_ car is already outside." She turned back to the counters, "And thanks, Arthur!"

* * *

M.C.'s hands remained glued and clutched tightly to her bag. After struggling to open the car door for five bothersome minutes, Yoosung finally had the decency to spare her of further embarrassment and opened and closed the car door for her. Once they were all settled in the car, she insisted they lock all the doors.

The ride started out quiet. Until Seven said something weird. Which got Yoosung laughing. And had Zen questioning. To that, Seven replied with something weirder that confused Jumin, so he had Jaehee explain it. Then the topic strayed to V, who got the conversation back to Seven.

That sequence repeated for about six times for the whole ride.

M.C. stayed quiet for the first two rounds, noticed the third and fourth to be forced, and intervened before the fifth.

"So—" Seven began the fifth repeat of the sequence.

M.C. sighed, "Alright, stop." She rubbed at her forehead with one hand. "I can taste the forced casualty of your recent attempts at conversation and it's making my stomach churn."

V coughed. "Sorry, M.C."

"You seemed to be in a…bad mood," Jaehee's eyes flickered to Jumin for a bit before settling back to her, "and the silence felt stifling."

"You could hear the screws in Seven's head churning in that silence."

"Hey! Still taking it as a compliment."

M.C. sighed. "I'm sorry. I just…" she paused a bit and her eyes flickered to the heir through the rearview mirror, "Jumin's words from earlier just bothered me, a bit, I guess."

"So blunt," Yoosung whispered to Seven.

That which everyone heard, of course. Yoosung just smiled sheepishly.

Zen scoffed, "What did you do, really?" he glared at the raven-head.

Jumin looked at M.C. confusedly, "I only said that she sleeps in a manly way, which I deemed inappropriate for a lady such as herself." He crossed his arms, "I fail to see how that made me the bad guy."

"Hey," M.C. started, "No one's a bad guy, alright?" she turned to look at Jumin, "I get what you mean. And I'm sorry for taking it the wrong way." She sighed and turned to the front again. "I have a lot of people nagging at me to act more feminine. And it just ticks me off, somehow." Her other hand finally let go of the bag and instead fiddled with the strands of her hair.

Seven blinked, "Are you…"

"Oh! No," she gave a small laugh. "I am straight female, if that is what you're asking. I just…feel more comfortable acting and moving the way I am." She stared out the window, and added in a more wistful tone. "I like how comfortable I am acting this way, it makes me feel like I am rebelling against the stereotypes and the generalization of what it is to be a woman."

Jumin, who was observing her the whole time, nodded slowly. _Not everyone will understand that…_ "I apologize, M.C. I have no intention of giving you ill feelings."

She laughed, "You talk all formal and stiff, it's cute."

Zen's brows furrowed. "Cute? What's cute in that?" he grumbled. Seven nudged him at the back. "Peanut butter and—" Zen pinched him. "Shut up."

M.C. just shook her head. "You're all cute." She chuckled. "Let's just put it behind us, alright Jumin?" she turned to them, a somber look on her face. "I'm sorry for acting like a jerk."

The heir nodded. V gladly noted that the stiffness in the raven-head's shoulders vanished then.

"What's in the bag anyway, M.C.? Is it a severed head or something?"

She paled again and clutched it tighter, "It's something so much worse, so much worse…"

…

"Oh! No _Manong,_ I was just kidding." She laughed nervously and reassured the blanched driver.

The fifth and sixth sequence passed and they arrived to the shopping centers with lighter moods then. And lighter bruises, yeah.

* * *

After paying for the _Uber_ ride and thanking the driver, they proceeded inside the Trinoma Mall.

M.C. turned to them and she leaned in to whisper slowly, "There's…money in this bag."

They all stared at her. Yoosung tilted his head, "Money…?"

"Shh!" she glared fiercely at the blonde.

Yoosung rolled his eyes and raised his hands, "Alright! Shh…" he repeated.

She gulped, "The RFA money that Seven transferred. I got…a huge amount of it withdrawn, with Arthur's assistance earlier."

V turned to Jaehee, "Is that so?" The brunette nodded, "We explained how we have a lot of necessities to buy today, and that it might exceed M.C.'s card limit. He suggested that we get the money instead. Obviously not all of it but…probably enough to reason why M.C. is taking precautions."

As Jaehee explained that, M.C. eyed every being passing by their group with suspicion.

"That explains the paranoid behavior."

The girl gave them a dirty look. "I'm just being careful."

"Looking a hundred percent casual right there. I bet no one would suspect that you're carrying something important whatsoever."

M.C. gave them a blank look.

Yoosung tapped at this chin, "I don't know, M.C. Maybe you should just act casual. I mean, if I were to steal something, I think I would be most curious as to what is in your bag since you're clutching it that close to you." _And it's such waste to ruin such a nice bag too._ He was sane enough not to voice that out.

"Kid has a point, you know." Zen remarked.

"Hey! I'm not a kid!"

"So what? You guys are burglars now?" M.C. sighed. "But, yeah. Fine." She set her bag at her back and hooked it over her shoulders. "There, happy?"

"Ecstatic."

She curled her lip nastily. "Just…someone make sure to watch my back every now again, alright?" The RFA nodded their reassurance.

"I will be very much glad to do so."

Zen thumped Seven on the head.

The student ignored them and instead reached to her back pocket to pull out a list, "Okay, first few things that I think we should buy would be clothes." She looked at them, "As much as I appreciate the clothes that Oliver has in the house, I don't think it would last you or your tastes." She turned to them exasperatedly, "And let's try to make this less painful as possible, alright? I do not see the point in wasting time just to pick between white and dirty white."

Zen grinned, "That makes all of us!"

M.C. laughed and nodded. "The Landmark is the department store of this mall. It already has most of the clothing, shoe and accessory brands that would make our shopping more convenient. We'll stop by the individual shops afterwards."

They nodded and proceeded to the Landmark. The shopping center lacks the usual crowd due to being early still, which would make navigating the mall easier for the mean time.

The RFA arrived at the department store and M.C. proceeded to hand them carts and baskets. "Alright. The men section is on this floor, the women section is on the floor above. I'll accompany Jaehee upstairs and you guys can spend your manly-man time here. We'll just meet up at one of the counters to pay afterwards."

Seven pouted. "Why can't you shop with us?"

M.C. blinked. "Why would I want to do that?" she asked back.

"J-just because!"

Zen sighed, "I wanted your opinion on what I would buy, M.C. How would I know what would look good in a lady's eyes? What if my tastes does not suit those of the people here?"

M.C. scoffed. "I don't think that is a problem. You guys look good no matter what you wear." She sniffed, "Though the weather here is either warm and sunny or humid and rainy, so make sure to have something for those. Otherwise, knock yourselves out. This is your money, after all."

Jaehee looked at her, "Our money."

"What?"

V handed her a basket. "Do some shopping of your own, M.C. You are involved in this as much as we are."

"Game or not, you are a member of RFA now." Jumin added. "So indulge yourself as much."

M.C.'s face gave a strange look before she laughed lightly, "I don't need anything. I'm not the one who got transported somewhere else entirely without any belongings. And my case is different. But I'll take that so I can grab some other things that I think you guys might need." She took the basket from V's hands and got a cart.

The RFA shared a brief look and M.C. sighed, "Alright, I'll head down in a while to help you guys." She grabbed Jaehee's arm. "I'll meet you later, okay? Go on!" The two women then walked off and rode the escalator to the second floor of the department store.

Seven whistled again.

"I think we scratched at the surface." Jumin said quietly.

Yoosung, who was looking at M.C.'s back before it disappeared from his view, turned to him, "Surface of what?"

"Of the reason why it's her." Zen answered.

V nodded slowly before turning to them, "Alright, men. Shopping it is."

* * *

Jaehee browsed through the racks for button-ups. From what M.C. told them, she would need comfortable and airy clothes to suite the weather and climate. _It wouldn't hurt to have a cardigan and a raincoat too._

But could that be too much? Having to buy even one of the either too would mean that she is considering being here for a while.

Jaehee had always prided herself to be a rational person, relying on facts and reason to argue her points. But with whatever it is that is happening to them right now, certainly her rationality is being tested to its limits. How can one explain what happened with them?

Rational as she may be, she also relies on faith. She has faith in the Almighty and other things that science and reason fail to clarify. This situation may be leaning towards that belief.

Faith or rationale? Perhaps both?

Believing to be back in eleven days? Thinking about being stuck longer? Which is it then?

Her thoughts were disrupted by her companion. "I think this would suit you!" M.C. exclaimed three racks away from hers. She held up a dark blue cotton shirt with long sleeves. "I'll put it here." She placed the item in her basket and continued to browse.

Jaehee blinked and smiled at her before going back to perusing for clothes. A white and brown striped button-up caught her eye. She looked at the size and after deeming it appropriate, she put it in her basket.

"You okay?"

The brunette looked at her, "Oh, yes." She looked at the other shirts. "Just…thinking on what to get."

The student studied her briefly. "You pondering how long you get to stay?"

Jaehee gave a small laugh. "Well, yes. You caught me."

"I bet that matter is eating at everybody's mind right now. Mine as well." M.C. shrugged. "We are lost all the same." She looked somberly at nothing in particular. "You guys must be busy. But we'll get you back somehow."

"No need to pressure yourself, M.C. We will figure it out." The assistant patted at her shoulder. "Let's handle things one at a time, okay?" She peered at her basket, "And I think those would look good on you."

"Me? No, this is for you." M.C. let the matter go then, and laughed before gesturing to the basket. The brunette looked closer and saw a pair of slacks, a skirt or two, some sleeveless blouses and cardigans. She saw a few dresses, too. Jaehee took one and held it for her to see.

It was cream in color. The top was sleeveless, finished with lace and would fit her figure. The bottom billowed lightly and probably ended above her knees. M.C. scratched at her cheek, "Sorry, couldn't resist." Jaehee chuckled and handed the dress back in the basket. She looked at M.C., "All these? For me?" she gestured to her own basket. "I already have here for my own."

It was M.C.'s turn to look at her basket and scoffed. "You're the only female in that group!" she bowed exaggeratedly. "Allow me to spoil you, miss! Besides," she sighed, "It wouldn't hurt to be prepared, as V said. And have you seen your funds? These probably wouldn't even make a dent to that number!"

Jaehee shook her head at her. "I'm not fond of too many clothes."

"I know what you mean. I could probably fit all of my own clothes in a suitcase. But you have few clothes with you right now, so I think this is quite reasonable. Even I who am not so fond of having too many clothes, will say that you should at least get these." M.C. looked down at her basket worriedly, "Do you not like what I picked for you? I could always exchange these, if you want."

The chief assistant shook her head, "No, this is quite fine." She chuckled lightly, "I have never shopped with another girl before, not for leisure, at least. And not with anyone who has the same taste."

M.C. gave a laugh at that, "Yeah, I know. I picked those that are formal and convenient, yet stylish and classy. This is my first time to shop with a huge amount money, even if it is not mine, so I enjoy picking all the same." She smiled at Jaehee. "And to add, you are naturally beautiful so you make this way easier."

The brunette blushed a light pink. "Oh, no. I don't think I am beautiful."

The aspiring architect scoffed. "Well, I do. And so does that guy over there." She pointed to a store clerk across the aisle. "He's been staring at you now and then for the past fifteen minutes."

Jaehee laughed. "Probably because I am Korean."

M.C. waved it off, "No matter. You are beautiful and that's that." She turned to her and placed another blouse in the basket. This one was in the color of light green, with its sleeves done in a light see-through material ending at the wrists. "Allow me to do this for you, okay?"

The brunette pushed her glasses back and smiled. "Alright, M.C. Thank you."

Her attention was turned to a yellow collared shirt when M.C. called out to her tentatively, "Hey, Jaehee?"

"Yes?"

"Are you bisexual?"

Jaehee blinked before blushing pink. "I…well, I don't think I am." She cleared her throat. "I have been busy with work and all, so I haven't given much thought about relationships. But I have always pictured being with a man in the end though, whenever I think about it."

M.C. nodded understandingly, "Oh, I get it." She rubbed at her neck sheepishly, "Sorry it was so out-of-the-blue. I just got curious since, you know…"

"Ah, yes, the dating game," Jaehee nodded as she looked at some casual clothing, "I don't know what to think on that matter, honestly. The thought of dating women…It doesn't appall me, though…I do want to have children of my own eventually."

M.C. looked at her delightedly, "I think you'll make a great mother, Jaehee! I can already imagine it, with how considerate and diligent you are."

The RFA member gave a small laugh, "Thank you for thinking so. But I think that is still ways ahead." She turned to M.C. to see her brow furrowed. "Is there something the matter?"

The architecture student blinked and turned to her. "Hm? Oh, no! It's just…Well, you have been the lone female member of RFA for a while now. And we both know how eye-catching the guys are. Haven't you had any attraction with any of them, whatsoever?" she asked tentatively.

"I guess this is what most people would call 'Girl Talk', huh?" Jaehee chuckled. She pursed her lips before looking at M.C. shyly, "I hope this would only stay between us…?"

"Yeah, of course." The girl reassured her.

"I…did have this small—I don't know what to call it, infatuation maybe?—with Mr. Han during my earliest days of working for him. I mean, what can a girl do? He's good-looking, intelligent, talented and he has the resources."

M.C.'s eyes sparkled before it vanished. Then she sighed. "But…" she started for her.

The brunette laughed, "But…yes, you get the point. I got to work for him and he turned from Mr. Perfect to…Mr. Han. Let's just say he is too much of a workaholic, even for me."

The student shook her head, "Rich and good-looking bastards are bound to have those ups and downs." She clicked at her tongue, "And the others?"

"Well, I am a big fan and supporter of Zen, as you know. I admire his talent in acting, singing and dancing, his other-worldly good looks and, not to mention his determination to prove himself. He is also a very good and loyal friend." Jaehee smiled, "I am quite the lucky fan to have met him, really."

M.C. nodded eagerly, "Ah, yes! And…?"

"Well, I think it ends at that."

M.C. looked at her unbelievingly, "Wow. I bet if I were in your place and I get to be friends with Song Joong Ki, I don't think I can handle my feelings at all."

Jaehee laughed and looked through the clothes again as she replied, "He is just like the celebrity that you fawn over and gush on and wish to be with, and that's all there really is to it." she shrugged her shoulders. "I guess…there might have been potential for Zen or Jumin at some point, but I did not see the need to pursue any relationship further than that of friends. And I know I made the right one."

The student now looked wistful and quietly asked, "How can you know that you made the right decision on…not pursuing anything further?"

Jaehee, who detected the slight melancholy of her tone, paused a bit before replying thoughtfully. "I can say it confidently because I don't feel any regrets on doing so. Sure, there might have been what-ifs, but then again, I am happy with my friendship with the both of them."

M.C. stayed quiet then, seeming lost in thought.

Normally, Jaehee did not prod, but V's words from last night about getting to know her surfaced then. "Was there something I said that bothered you, M.C.?"

The girl sighed. "No, it just made me think about…someone." She waved it off, "You know us girls, making big things out of nothing and all that jazz." She turned back to her, a small smile on her face. "Sorry about that. And the others?"

The brunette let it slide. "V, I have high respect for. His good traits will certainly attract you to him. And…

Yoosung is a kid and Seven is a big baby."

M.C. burst out laughing at that, "Yeah, you nailed all of it!"

She checked at her watch, "You should probably check on the others. I'll just take a look at some shoes while you're at it."

The black-haired girl sniffed, "Yeah you're right. Who knows what those idiots would buy. Seven will probably purchase a fur coat just for the sake of petting it." She sighed. "I'll head down, then. I'll meet you back downstairs, alright?" she smiled at Jaehee before turning to head to the escalator.

M.C. turned back, "You're pretty, okay?" she called out.

"So are you, you know!" Jaehee replied.

M.C. snorted before turning to the male clerk that she pointed to earlier, "You better not hit on her, dude." she laughed and went down.

Jaehee shook her head at her before turning to the male clerk, "Can you tell me where the shoes are?"

* * *

M.C., mind wandering off to her conversation with Jaehee earlier, was staring blankly at nothing that caused her to trip at the bottom part of the escalator.

Luckily, she caught herself and avoided a messy landing.

She looked pretty stupid though, with her upper body leaning over, and her arms wailing about.

Of course, that's how one of the RFA members found her.

"M.C….are you dancing, by any chance?"

The girl glared at the escalator then at the man in front of him. "You think you're funny?"

He shrugged. "One of my charms, I guess."

M.C. rolled her eyes at him and righted herself then. "Whatever, big man."

"Big man? You mean tall?" Jumin questioned.

"…Yeah. Okay, sure." M.C. shook her head.

Jumin walked a few paces, but paused when he fails to hear footsteps following his own. He turned to see M.C. still rooted at her spot. She was slouching tiredly, and her narrowed eyes were staring at something that was not really there.

The heir blinked before walking back. When she failed to respond to his presence, he waved his hand in front of her face to get her attention. "M.C.? You there?"

The girl half-heartedly waved his hand off—the fact that she did not slap it away stunned him a bit—and she sighed. "Yeah. Sorry. Just thinking."

"The subject of your thoughts does not seem pleasant."

M.C. made a gurgling noise at the back of her throat. "He's anything but at this point, I guess." She lightly grabbed at his forearm and proceeded to walk forward.

 _For a person who hates being touched, she absentmindedly does it to others often_ , Jumin thinks as he matches her pace. It was after this thought did it register to him that she used a male pronoun to refer to whatever—whoever—she was thinking about. _How intriguing._ "Is it Sab?"

The girl snorted, "It's nothing you should concern yourself about, Jumin. And no, it is not Sab. Just someone." She sighed before shaking her head slightly.

"I think he is someone important enough to distract you like that." Jumin commented. He paused at their walk and proceeded to look through the dress shirts.

M.C. snorted. _Go figure._

The heir continued, "But I will pry no longer, as you do not wish to talk about it—rather, _him_." He paused before adding, "For now, at least."

"Drop it, Mr. Han." She saw the still-empty basket of the raven-head. "I've left you guys for half an hour now, and you still haven't gotten anything?" she asked incredulously.

Jumin merely shrugged again.

M.C. groaned and mumbled under her breath, "So much for painless shopping." The temperamental girl released her gentle hold on him in exchange for scratching at her head, and went through the hangers of different fancy-looking shirts. She grabbed a purple-pinstriped white dress shirt and held it up to Jumin, "Here, I think this suits you."

The heir looked at the article of clothing and tilted his head. He took the collar of the shirt between his fingers and rubbed. Jumin skimmed the whole of it and eventually nodded his affirmative, "I think it suits me, too."

M.C. gave a mocking laugh and dropped the piece of clothing to her basket, "…Yeah. Okay, sure." She went to the rack of button-ups behind Jumin.

He blinked. "That is the second time you said that." He turned back to his browsing. The material of some of these shirts just does not seem right.

"Just to emphasize how right you are most of the time, you know?"

"I am not right all the time, but thank you anyway."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Oh? Well, your sarcasm is not your strong suit. But you do have great taste in selecting clothing."

"Oh, no. I just like these thin lines on everything."

"…You have peculiar tastes."

"I was joking!"

"You should work on that too then, along with your sarcasm."

"That's funny, coming from you."

"Oh. I can give you lessons on humor and sarcasm, if you want. I am quite well-versed on both, it's a curse."

A giggle.

Jumin blinked. "I did not deem you the type that…giggles. Real different from your masculine quips and jabs."

Another giggle.

M.C. frowned. "Like hell that's me."

They turned to each other. And more giggles came.

The soon-to-be-architect then noticed four female store clerks standing a distance away from them.

 _Oh._ M.C. narrowed her eyes. She gave a sickeningly-sweet smile. "Is there something funny, ladies?"

First store-girl covered her mouth and giggled. Again. "Oh, no ma'am. You and your brother are just too cute." Her hands are on a basket filled with casual clothing—shirts, trousers and shorts.

M.C. heard someone mumble, " _Most especially her brother._ "

She snarled and pointed to Jumin, "You mean him? He's not my brother! How could you even say that?!"

Jumin nodded. "Insulting, really."

M.C. pursed her lips and sighed. She turned to the clerks. "We are, in no way, related. We don't even look anything alike!" she looked at him, then back at the mall employees disbelievingly, " _And he's Korean!_ " she emphasized greatly. "Now if you'll excuse us, we would like to do our shopping in peace."

Second store-girl blinked. She held up a basket with folded slacks, in colors of black, gray and brown. "This dashing sir over here—" she winked at Jumin. M.C.'s nostrils flared, "—asked us to get the best of our respective clothing lines. Which I think would all look good on him." She gave a dazzling smile.

M.C. recoiled and turned to Jumin. "No wonder your basket is empty!"

The board director crossed his arms. "Well, these ladies are more knowledgeable about their respective brands than I am. So I asked for their recommendations and rest my judgement to their professionalism. Why else would they be here, if not to fetch the best for their customers?"

M.C. scratched at her head. The female clerks giggled and whispered to each other. She turned exasperatedly at them, "You do know there is an insult there somewhere, right?"

"We are pleased to be of help to such a good-looking and kind—" M.C. cringed, "—young man such as himself, ma'am. Know that your trust in us and our brands is not misplaced and very much appreciated." Store-girl number Three gave a small smile. Her baskets have a variety of neckties, belts and cufflinks.

"What would you need all these for? This is more than being prepared!" M.C. looked at some of the prices and her eyes nearly bulged out. _Wha—SWEET MOTHER OF PEARL! I can pay for my school fees with these baskets of clothing!_ She turned to Jumin, "Are you kidding me? These are worth—mehhh!" she gestured wildly.

Her brain suffered from the price-shock, thus the unintelligible sound.

Jumin managed to translate the sound to _too much for me_ , and replied, "Do not worry, M.C. I will compensate for it once my accounts have been settled."

"Jaehee only has about a fourth of this! And I thought she's the girl here!"

"Well—"

"Zip it." M.C. deadpanned. "This is spending way too much."

"No. This is spending my way."

M.C. gave him an unimpressed look. "Your way of spending is despicable."

"No need to worry, ma'am. We guarantee that these brands and clothing are the best. They would suit your man just fine." The last Store-girl stretched out the last word and giggled at the end, along with her other tickle-buddies.

Before M.C. could deny the last statement, a fifth store clerk arrived, holding a white dress. Its bodice and long sleeves were made of intricate but light lacework. A ribbon acts as a belt around the waist, and the skirt billows and ends at the knees. New Store-girl smiled sweetly at Jumin, "I have found a size for the dress you asked earlier, sir." She winked.

M.C. flinched and paused. Then she laughed.

No, she _guffawed_.

"Jumin, hey. I thought the animosity between you and Zen is just a result of mutual dislike. But now—"

"Do not even go there, M.C." Jumin scoffed. "The dress is obviously not for me."

M.C. snorted, "Is it for Zen, then?"

The executive shook his head, "I got it for you."

"You what now?"

Jumin rolled his eyes and turned to the New-last Store-girl, "You got the bigger size? As you can see, she is leaning towards the fitter side of the scale."

M.C. growled, "Honesty not appreciated, jerk. And as _you_ can see, I don't need it!"

"I think you do. It might help bring out your feminine side."

"The only side of me that this is going to bring out is my violent one." The black-haired girl narrowed her eyes at the heir and then addressed the clerk with the dress in hand. "You could put that back now."

Jumin shook his head. M.C. rubbed at her face and checked her watch, "Well, since you seem to be almost done here, I'll check on the others." She pointed at the heir's chest and said, "You are one lazy bum, you know?"

He merely blinked at her, "I am only seeking the assistance of the employees."

"Shut it." M.C. poked at his chest then. _There she goes with the touching again,_ the heir thought as he stared blankly back at her. The girl leaned in and whispered fiercely, "At least try to narrow the amount down. And I could only hope you can shop for you undergarments on your own now? Or do you need any more assistance on that too?" she smirked. Jumin's eyes narrowed at her.

M.C. turned to the female clerks, "Thank you for your help. I will be back in a while to pay for this man's clothes, so kindly hold on to them for a while, if it's not such a bother." She paused. "Except that dress. That has to go."

"Okay. We will just place the others near the counter, ma'am. You can ask for it once you are ready to pay."

M.C. nodded her thanks. She grabbed her basket and cart and walked off to find the rest of the RFA.

A few paces and she turned back, a glint in her eyes.

Jumin scowled at her. _Not good._

"Oh and ladies? He's smart and rich, his jokes are _to die for_ , he adores cats...

…and he is _very much single._ "

Jumin's eyes widened a fraction. "Hey—"

"See you in a while!"

The last thing M.C. heard before turning a corner was the squeals of over-enthusiastic store clerks. _Music to my ears._

She cringed. _Okay, maybe not._

* * *

After numerous attempts of fending off the saleswomen— _can they not take a hint? Or fifty hints?—_ he finally succeeded. The executive director was about to head to the underclothes section of the department store when he saw the dress being taken back by the last clerk.

The dress only caught his eye because it was in the men's section of the department store. It was white, simple, and elegant. It doesn't even look expensive. The dress turns out to be a counterpart of the male outfit—as part of a collection—adorned by the mannequin next to it. When a store clerk saw him staring at it, Jumin casually asked him if it comes in any other sizes, as most of such collections only come in one size, and rarer numbers.

It pleases him to know that they do have a bigger size, and then surprised at himself when he asked to see it.

And when he saw it, he just knew that she will frown at it.

She did. M.C. looked at the dress like it was going to eat her alive.

But he thought he saw a hint of longing there, too.

Then again, he may be mistaken.

Jumin called, "The dress…" the last Store-girl turned questioningly, her cheeks pink. "Disregard what she said and place it on one of the carts."

The clerk blinked before she smiled and nodded at him. Jumin thanked them for their service before heading to his destination. Hopefully, without any more female oglers.

* * *

 _Uber._ A public utility car service that can be accessed through a mobile app, and requires internet connection to use. Uber drivers use their own cars although drivers can rent a car to drive with Uber.

 _Jeepneys._ A form of transportation that is popular in the Philippines. Known for its crowded seating and colorful decorations.

 _Tricycles._ A common means of public transportation in the Philippines most especially in small towns and cities, especially in the rural areas. These public utility vehicles either ply a set route or are for-hire. These are usually made locally by building a sidecar and affixing it to a motorcycle.

 **A/N:** And that's eleven. Not sure when I will update next, but I hope you enjoyed this anyway. I would love to answer any questions you guys may have. And your reviews certainly help.

And to:

 **Kurama 2004**

Thank you for that! I hope you enjoyed this one as well. I look forward to getting to hear more from you, too.

 **Aerin606**

 _Uy, isa pang Pinoy! Mabuhay! Salamat din sa pag-_ review _mo. Buti naman nagustuhan mo yung M.C. dito. Sinusubukan ko talaga na lahat maka-relate sa kanya, pati na din sa mga sitwasyon niya. At buti di ka na-_ bore, _iyon kasi talaga yung pinaka-inaalala ko. Di ako gaanong marunong sumulat ng nakakatawa, at_ _medyo hirap nga din ako mag-_ English. _Sana makapag-_ review _ka ulit. Salamat kababayan!_ God Bless _din!_

 **BeautifulyCool**

Then am I right to guess that you are also ecstatic to the V route getting released? My friend had gone real happy-crazy.

I haven't thought of M.C. being romantically-related to anyone yet. I don't have a clear ship also.

Are you settled now? And wow, honors! So what classes do you take then?

Thanks for thinking so. I look forward to your story! I had so many plots to, when my friend asked me to make a fanfiction out of MysticMessenger, but I eventually ended up on this one as it seemed more exciting.

Thanks again, and I hope to talk to you more.

 **DanteLoyal**

You know what? I am also starting to wonder myself. Rika and Saeran _can_ make an appearance…Hm. We will just have to wait and see.

 **MirrorFlame**

I would love to see some of your drawings! I hope I can finish the cover too, but life is keeping me busy, so I guess it would have to wait.

Of course, Mr. Han will be more than capable of paying for those trips. And more.

Yes, the improvising really excites me also. I end up editing a lot before I get to upload.

Well, the Fast Talk is done by this host in a short segment every midnight. He fires up question after question at his guest for the day, in a time limit. With the time pressure, the answers are usually funny and entertaining.

An RFA next gen? Can you elaborate on that? I actually haven't thought on proceeding with any of the ships. Though the story shows some potential flirting, I think M.C. is too preoccupied or ignorant to think of romance. Which is actually kind of amusing, since Mystic Messenger is a dating app. But I guess that's part of the story…we'll see.

I would sing and dance to Candace Flynn's song, Queen of Mars—even if the alien planet is not Mars. Honestly, because it was the first thing that popped into my mind after I read your question. What about you?

Thanks for the constant reviews! I really look forward to talking with you.

 **TheAngelicPyro**

I'm sorry for the confusion. I am still so embarrassed by that mishap. But hey, we love all Kyoya's right?

* * *

Salamat po!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** I apologize for this late update. I am not feeling well at the moment. Physically, I am fine, but the things going around my head are somehow worrying.

Even if my updates are irregular, I still plan to finish this story though. So I apologize again in advance for it may take some time.

Warning for some spoilers, and Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12: In which M.C.'s mood takes a complete one-eighty  
**_

* * *

Lunchtime found M.C. thumping her head on their table in a fancy pizza place.

Jaehee patted her back, "M.C., please stop hurting yourself."

The RFA were now waiting for the food. Their host member groaned and rested her forehead at the table instead. "I can never ever show my face there again." She took in a sharp breath and lifted her head to glare menacingly at the man across from her. "All because of you." She growled.

The way she dragged out the word 'you' gave them the shivers.

Zen flinched. He raised his hands defensively, "As far as I know, I didn't even do anything wrong!"

M.C. hated how right he was at that. "You just had to get those 'working out clothes', huh? You better make sure that you make use of those hard-earned clothes or else I'll—urgh!" She gave out unintelligible sounds and clenched her fists, "I want to hit something so bad I just—gah!"

Yoosung who was seated at her other side, moved his chair away. The architecture student glared at him before dropping her head at the table again.

* * *

 _Earlier…_

After paying for the RFA members' clothing necessities from the department store, M.C. and her guests proceeded to peruse through the individual stores.

Jumin got his sizes done for the customized suites that he insisted he needed. M.C. felt a bit sorry for the _necessary_ groping and poking that he had to endure.

V bought a unique watch that will not have him squint his eyes or wrinkle his nose at it anymore. M.C. became pissed when the female store clerk ignored her to ogle at the photographer.

Jaehee got more feminine wear, much to the shock of the others. M.C. left that store with a satisfied smile despite the spending.

Yoosung decided on wearing flip-flops to show off how manly his ankles are. M.C. didn't get how a barely-even-looked-at body joint can be attractive.

Seven giggled at his new white cat-inspired hoodie. M.C. felt embarrassed when she had to ask for an adult-size inside a children clothing store.

And now Zen was browsing through synthetic work-out clothing at a famous sports-wear store. M.C. was checking out for his size on a pair of limited-edition shoes.

"Why would he need different clothing just for exercising?" she grumbled. "And where is the manager? How in the world am I supposed to find other sizes for these?"

It was then that she got shoved off.

"Woah!" Yoosung, who was next to her, grabbed at her arm to steady her. M.C. growled and turned her head so fast that he thought her neck would snap.

No, he got slapped by her hair instead.

They both looked at the direction the pusher went to, only to see Zen being mobbed by a growing number of people.

The blonde didn't know whether he should laugh at the albino, or cry for his stinging cheek.

Seven was the one who laughed. "You think he needs help?"

M.C. continued glaring, "Who was the skank that shoved me?!" she turned to V, who was at the opposite side of the rack she was browsing through, "Did you see who?"

She blinked.

"Oh, sorry."

"How insensitive, M.C." Jumin crossed his arms. "And what is a skank?"

The photographer shook his head, "Don't Jumin. Just…don't."

"Knew it was a bad idea to stop here." M.C. scoffed, "Look at how he's enjoying all that attention!" she stared incredulously at Zen, who was now posing for pictures. "Could anyone seriously be that narcissistic?"

"Only Zen." Seven quipped. "If I am the god of Awesomeness, then he is the god of Self-Centeredness."

He got ignored.

V peered around, "Has anyone seen Jaehee?"

They looked throughout the store. Yoosung pointed at the crowd, "I think she's right there." The aspiring-architect stood on the tip of her toes to get a sight on the corporate assistant. Her eyes flickered to Zen briefly and she blinked.

M.C.'s nostrils flared. "HEY!" she bellowed.

The whole of the store looked at her.

She pushed her way through the crowd, all of them who gaped at her. The RFA looked on interestingly. Zen looked at her, apprehended and anxious. _Could she actually be…?_

He totally got ignored.

Because M.C. reached for Jaehee instead. "Are you alright?" it turned out the chief assistant got pushed back by the ruckus.

Yoosung and Seven burst out laughing at the look on Zen's face. The ginger smirked and mouthed, "Denied, bro."

The albino scowled at them.

M.C. picked up the paper bags that fell from the brunette's hands. Jaehee nodded, "Oh, yes. I'm fine." She pushed her glasses back and sighed. "We should have expected for this to happen, really." She looked at the crowd that acted up again, after seeing M.C.'s attention off of them.

The soon-to-be-architect sighed and shook her head. She glared briefly at Zen before grabbing the chief assistant's arm and walking off, "Come on, Jaehee. You seem to know his tastes, maybe you could help me pick his 'working-out clothes' instead and get this hell over with. My patience is already running thin." She sniffed.

Zen bit his lip worriedly when he saw M.C. giving him the stinky eye and turning her back to him. He was about to address the crowd of women—he thinks he saw a few men, too—and tell them to buzz off in the most polite way he can think of.

Only, his stare lingered on M.C. a second longer.

And that moment did not go unnoticed by his new fans. They turned to see what caught the attention of the object of their recently-formed affection.

 _It was the loud black-haired she-male from earlier._

If M.C. could read minds, she would have burst because of that description.

She did burst when Fangirl Number 2 (Fangirl Number 1 was the one who pushed her) exclaimed, "Is that your girlfriend? She's not even half as pretty as you are, or us!"

M.C. turned back, her mouth open. She marched down to the blonde-dyed girl and narrowed her eyes at her, "Take that back, blondie! You think you're so hot? She—"

M.C. pointed to Jaehee.

"—is more beautiful than all of your faces combined! And she's a natural! None of that make-up nonsense."

Zen blinked.

Seven slapped his forehead and Yoosung shook his head at her density.

"Idiot." Jumin mumbled. V elbowed him in the ribs.

Jaehee sighed, "I don't think they were referring to me, M.C…"

The aspiring architect paused in her glaring and looked at her confusedly, "Then, who…?"

Her jaw dropped.

"Me? His girlfriend?" M.C. looked down at herself and back at them, a skeptical look in her eyes, "Seriously? Come on, let's all get real here. This isn't some romance drama."

Fangirl Number 2 smirked, "I knew it! Too good to be true, huh?"

M.C. smiled sickeningly sweet at her and nodded, "Yeah. Not like _any of you creatures_ have anything resembling to a chance to be his girlfriend either, you know." M.C. snickered before ushering Zen, "Up and at 'em Romeo, it's almost lunch time and we still got lots to buy."

"Excuse me?" Fangirl Number 3, a girl with a ponytail exclaimed.

The architecture student gave her a blank look, "No, excuse _me._ " She pointed behind her, "That's my basket there." M.C. grabbed her shoulder and pushed her aside. She grabbed the rail of the cart where the basket was perched on and proceeded to push it to where the cashier was located.

The actor's newly-formed fan-club gasped. "Can you believe this son of a bi—"

M.C. suddenly turned to them, "Were you just about to _cuss_ at _my mother_?" she _almost_ shrieked. Because she most certainly _does not shriek_.

The fans got the decency to look alarmed. "Well—"

The RFA members were about to intervene when M.C. glowered at them. They were smart enough to shut up and put some distance. She pushed the basket to Yoosung's shaking hands, "GO AND HAVE THESE PAID FOR RIGHT NOW." She growled and slammed the money on his hand.

The blonde gamer nodded frantically and went to the cashier. The actor turned to her, "Alright, M.C. Please…just—"

"Zip it." She turned to the fans then, "Okay! Listen here mister," Fangirl Number 2 gasped, "you _do not_ get to involve _my mother_ here, alright?" M.C. leaned in and narrowed her eyes at her, "Do you kiss _your mother_ with that mouth?!"

"As for all of you," she dragged out the last syllable and pointed her finger at the other fans, "I don't care if you flaunt yourselves at him, stalk him on the internet, add him on facebook, keep a piece of his hair, read fanfiction about him—"

Zen winced, "I think they get the point, M.C."

"—or whatever it is that you wannabe-fangirls will do at your free time." She snarled, "I don't give a single damn about that. But if any of your shenanigans inconvenienced me again, you will never _ever_ hear the end from me, alright?"

Fangirl Number 1—finally! And hello, she's a beauty. Her long hair dropped in elegant curls, her supposed pleasant face scrunched to a nasty frown. Her face seemed familiar to M.C. "Excuse me, but who are you to tell us off? You aren't his girlfriend, right?"

"With all your incessant questioning about that then I may as well be!" M.C. snarled.

Zen gawked at her.

Jumin gave an amused laugh, "Did I just hear that right?" he turned his slightly-widened eyes to V. The photographer just shook his head slowly. His mouth was open, but no response came.

Yoosung dropped the article of clothing he was handing to the cashier…and his jaw.

Seven gasped. " _WHUT?!_ "

"Do you even know how annoying it is to have freaking strangers ask you that? It's like you want me to say 'Yes, I am his girlfriend!' just so you can argue with me or something!" M.C. threw her arms in the air and glared. "Bash me all you want, whatever. It will just make you less attractive than you already are, honestly. Now let's all get on with our lives and hopefully, not bump into each other again at any point of the future." She turned and headed for the cashier again. "I seriously don't have the tolerance for this right now." M.C. grumbled.

Beautiful Fangirl Number 1 grabbed at her arm, "Now wait just a minute—"

The very thin string of patience that M.C. was holding on too snapped.

 _What an idiot._

"LEGGO OF MY ARM RIGHT NOW WOMAN! I HAVE AREADY WASTED TOO MUCH ENERGY ON THIS STUPID ARGUMENT AND YOU DARE ASK ME TO STAY A MINUTE MORE FOR THIS TORTURE?!"

"Weird, right?" Yoosung chuckled nervously at the cashier. "She just…doesn't want anybody getting in her personal bubble, you know?" The employee's eyes flickered to the temperamental girl and he nodded hesitantly.

The cashier dude has never seen anyone that scary in his whole life

And Yoosung has never seen anyone work with a paper bag that fast.

The manager of the store suddenly intervened, "Excuse me, is something the matter here?" he had the decency to ask.

M.C. _not-shrieked_ at him, "Excuse you, alright!" turned to him crossed her arms, oblivious to the attention that she got, "Where in the four corners of this store have you gone to that you only just arrived?!" she shouted.

Skank Number 2 frowned, "Hey, we were talking to—"

" _Where were you_ when my companion got pushed off a while ago?!" M.C. walked towards the manager, Beautiful Fangirls and the rest of the newly-formed fanclub now forgotten.

V gulped and turned to Yoosung, who was now carrying their newly-purchased products. "Did we pass by any restaurants earlier?"

The blonde pursed his lips, "Well, I think I saw a fancy pizza place right before we made a left to here." The photographer nodded and grabbed the other bags from Yoosung, "Excellent. Let's go." And he sped off to the exit doors.

" _Where were_ you when these hyenas suddenly appeared?!" M.C. leaned in closer, her teeth clenched.

Jumin blinked at V's retreating back, "What—" Jaehee nudged his shoulder, "Time for retreat, Mr. Han." She pushed him out, much to the raven-head's confusion.

" _Where were you WHEN I GOT SHOVED OFF_?!" M.C. was now face-to-face with the manager, who was now trembling.

"Aw, but things are starting to get interesting!" Seven pouted. Yoosung pulled at his ear, "Come on, Seven! Before things start to get painful!"

They both waved frantically at Zen.

" _WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A SIZE TEN FOR THESE FREAKIN' SHOES?!_ " M.C. threw a shoe sample at the manager's feet.

Zen got the message.

"Okay!" The albino picked the poor shoe off the floor and handed it to the trembling man. "We are deeply sorry for this." He chuckled and took a firm hold of M.C.'s arms while talking to the manager. "Though I suggest you work better on your service, okay? You have excellent products though!"

He leaned in next to M.C., his mouth next to her ear and whispered, "Time to disappear, hon."

Before M.C. or the crowd can cause any more of a ruckus, Zen addressed his new fans, "Thank you for your attention but we need to leave. Have a good day!" he smiled and winked saucily.

Quarter of the people in the store swooned.

Zen quickly dragged a fuming M.C. off and they disappeared into the mall crowd.

* * *

 _At present…_

M.C. gave them a blank look, "You guys flashbacked on what happened, didn't you?"

The RFA shook their heads.

"Smooth."

"Ow!" Zen flinched and reached down to rub his kicked leg.

The female student sniffed, "That's for calling me 'Hon'." She sighed, "I am not passing by that wing of the mall for a while."

V handed her a glass of water. "I don't think it went that bad."

The others stared at him incredulously.

Seven quipped, "You really are visually impaired."

"How insensitive, Seven." Jumin crossed his arms.

Zen scoffed at the corporate director, "That is _rich_ , coming from you."

"Why are you always at me, Zen? Do you like me that much?" Jumin retorted.

"You're impossible!"

"Anyway," M.C. gave them a pointed look. "Now that you guys have something to wear…" she browsed through her bag and got her pen and list. The temperamental girl ticked of the first box. Yoosung chuckled when M.C. erased it because the mark went out the box.

"…we need to get you—" she pointed to Seven, "—a computer."

Seven gasped, "Oh really?" his eyes sparkled and stood up from his seat. He pushed Yoosung ("Hey!") and took M.C. into his arms to envelop her in a hug, "Oh darling, thank you thank you thank you so much! You have no idea—"

M.C., of course, punched him and shoved him off.

"HEY! What was that for?!" M.C. gasped and patted her head. "Am I growing cat ears or what?"

Jumin suddenly grabbed her head and leaned his face close, "I don't see—"

"HEY!" Zen and Yoosung gasped.

Jaehee apologized to the other customers for their outburst. V scolded them to use their indoor voice and they got back to their seats.

"For the love of—! Why would you do that?!" M.C. growled in her indoor voice. It was still menacing. "Don't touch me, alright?!" she narrowed her eyes at them. She grabbed her list and wrote additional items, all the while mumbling to herself.

The RFA took note of the color on her cheeks. They just could not tell if it was out of anger, embarrassment or something else.

M.C. cleared her throat and took her eyes away from her list and back to them, "Right. So we get Seven a computer after we eat. And probably a laptop for everybody else. Then we buy V a camera…or maybe we should do that first? Anyway, after that we stop by a bookstore. And then we buy groceries and hopefully, come back to your house before dinner." She nodded to herself as she recited her list.

"That is a lot."

The female student nodded, "Yeah. Then there's the issue of what you will do why you're still here. It's not like I am expecting you to be good and obedient and just stay at home doing whatever." She gave dirty looks at all of them.

They stared blankly at her.

She sighed exasperatedly, "The apartment? Ring any bells? You wanted 'me' to stay there, remember?"

"Oh. Yeah."

"Pretty stupid if you ask me. Insisting a person you just met to stay at a stranger's apartment which turned out to have a _bomb_ inside is too much, don't you think?"

Yoosung spat out his water, "There's a bomb in Rika's apartment?!"

Seven slapped him, "Dude! Disgusting!" The ginger ended up being sprayed by the water the blonde spat out as he is seated across from him. He took off the cat hoodie and wiped at it fiercely, "And it was a security measure, okay? Completely safe!"

 _Not until the hacker got to it._ M.C. snorted, "Anyone would feel a hundred percent safe sleeping with a bomb."

"I can see potential for your sarcasm yet, M.C." Jumin said. "Am I right to assume that you are finally permitting us to go beyond the house by ourselves?"

"You're making it sound like I imprisoned you or something!" M.C. huffed. _Your route basically had the player locked up in your penthouse. How contradicting to your 'not living together till marriage' tirade._ "That seems more like your type, you know?"

"I feel like we are missing a story here."

"Shush," M.C. continued, "Yes, you're not bound to be inside the house. I have work at weekdays for the whole day, so I won't be able to check up on you as often as I have for the past few days. I only advised you to remain still in the house—"

"More like, 'threaten you to stay put'," Seven mumbled.

M.C. rolled her eyes at him and continued anyway, "—because of the new environment. After we got the things that we need, you can do whatever you want at your time to help yourselves. _Just please avoid doing anything stupid or dangerous that will mentally scar anybody else._ " She emphasizes greatly on the last part.

"Aw, come on M.C.! We're grown adults, we're better than that!"

"Exactly, Yoosung. It is worrying that you guys are legally old enough to get caught up in anything." M.C. deadpanned.

Jaehee, ever the responsible one, spoke up, "We need money. Probably not immediately, but soon. We cannot depend on the RFA funds, no matter how big it is." M.C. nodded dazedly at that—having remembered the many zeroes—and the brunette continued, "Getting light jobs and engaging in the neighborhood can probably give us insight on what we must do here. It can be beneficial to the Project Long Run as well, if it ever boils down to it." She sighed, "And just to be completely honest, we can use those times to get away from each other too, just for the sake of keeping our respective sanities intact."

"Alright! The name stuck!" Seven grinned triumphantly as he shrugged his black jacket back on.

They ignored him again.

Zen chuckled lightly, "Jaehee is right. I would go insane if I am to be with Trustfundkid Han for the whole of eleven days."

"Stop flattering yourself and smell reality, Zen. Not all of us wants to bask in your narcissistic behavior either." Jumin scoffed.

"The tension between the both of you confuses me still."

M.C. snorted, "Back to more serious matters, I asked some of my friends and they recommended a few models for your laptops and cameras. I have the list of it that we can check out later. I'm sure you guys are talented enough to work with anything!" she scribbled a few more things at her list before nodding in satisfaction.

"You really thought this through." Zen looked at the lists, then at her.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Hotshot?" M.C. deadpanned.

Seven snickered and leaned in to Yoosung, "She has a total knack for nicknames. We can learn from her."

Zen blinked and shook his head, "I mean that you really thought this through!" M.C. continued to glower at him. The actor rubbed at the back of his neck. "Why are you still on the rage at me? Is this about earlier? I thought we're forgetting about that!"

"We are!"

"Then why are you acting this way?"

"I'm not—!"

"Indoor voice."

M.C.'s eyes flashed dangerously to V. He shrugged and smiled at her amusingly. "You sound like lovers fighting over something, by the way. Thought that someone should point it out before anyone could ask if you two are together, again." He sipped at his water.

"Where the hell is the food? Now is a pretty good time to take a break from talking to each other." Jaehee mumbled to the table. "I'm getting sick of sipping this water."

Yoosung and Seven gasped at her, "You just cussed!" the blonde accused, and the ginger followed, "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"You think that was funny?" M.C. deadpanned at him. In her indoor voice. Seven paled and pointed to Zen, "He thinks you're acting different!"

The albino glared at him. "Yeah, thanks."

M.C. sniffed. "I am not, in any way at all, acting different. And it—me, acting in a not-different way—has nothing to do with what happened earlier, which—if we are forgetting—is also nothing at all, whatsoever." She whispered fiercely.

"All those words…"

Zen scoffed and crossed his arms. "Oh, you're right. You've always been this hostile."

M.C. took in a sharp breath. "I…yeah." She deflated.

"How insensitive, Zen." Jumin scoffed. "Now you made her feel bad. Again."

"Finally!" Jaehee exclaimed as their food came.

They all turned to her. The brunette blushed. "Right. Indoor voice. I apologize." She cleared her throat.

M.C. laughed apologetically, "Sorry Jaehee. All these useless conversations are probably grating on your nerves now." They waited for the server to settle the food down the table. The scent of pasta, chicken, pizza and _cheese_ filled the air.

Jaehee shook her head, "No, it isn't that. I am actually…quite glad that we get to interact with each other outside our phones." She cleared her throat, "The shopping just drained me a bit that's all."

"Hey, now that I think about it…" Yoosung contemplated, "…this is the first in a long while that we actually hung out. Not concerning a party, and all."

"Huh, you're right." Zen nodded, "Guess we were too busy living our own lives."

They smiled wistfully.

"Yeah…can we eat now? My stomach is—"

"Alright, Luciel. We don't need to know how your organs are doing. Let's eat."

* * *

When their quitter-than-their-others meal passed, they had the table cleaned and are now preparing to get something sweet, as Zen insisted.

"Dessert?" M.C. stared at him, a menu in her hands, "You don't seem like the cake-type of person."

Zen finished his water and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "I have them from time-to-time, and I'm more of the fruit type."

"Then why insist on this?"

The actor shrugged his shoulders, "Your eyes were straying to the dessert section of the menu earlier. Figured you could use something for your sweet tooth."

M.C. looked at him weirdly, "We don't have to get anything here." She leaned in and whispered, "As much as their pizza is too good to be true, the food is just crazy expensive!" she crossed her arms, "If I weren't so frazzled earlier, I wouldn't have let us eat here. I mean, look at this!" she gestured to an item at the menu, "does that pudding contain pieces of actual gold that it has to cost that much?"

"Stop stomping on Zen's heart, M.C.! He is obviously trying to make up for earlier." Seven quipped from his seat. He was fiddling with his phone again, waiting for his honey drizzled chocolate cake slice to arrive. M.C. planned to coax the half from him, just to lessen his sugar intake. "You've already rejected being his girlfriend. Twice."

Yoosung burst out laughing again. He ordered their caramel and almond cupcake. Zen glared, "Shut up, both of you."

"We are forgetting about that, aren't we?" V remarked. He hasn't tasted a panna cotta for a while now.

Jumin merely blinked and signaled the waiter for a plate of mini pancakes, "Forgetting about what now?"

M.C. gave an amused laugh, "You guys are too cute, really."

Her ears were a slight red, they noted.

"But, alright. Since Seven already got something." The waiter went to her side after Jaehee ordered coffee cream and jelly, and she gestured to the fruit parfait. She handed him the menu and thanked the server before he went to fetch their orders.

"I like fruit desserts, too. Let's share the parfait, then." She said to Zen, who flushed sightly.

M.C. didn't notice though, as she turned back to her list. "It's Sunday tomorrow, so the banks are closed. I have work on Monday so you guys will have to head to the banks on your own. Can you do it?" she asked them, "I'll leave my card and an authorization letter with it so I wouldn't actually be needed. But I can take the afternoon off if the need arises."

"We'll manage fine." Seven replied, "Once we get home, I'll work on the rest of the accounts immediately. No worries guys, for I, Seven Oh Seven—" the waiter suddenly appeared with the cake. "—has now gotten his dessert!"

"I think that means we should worry more, actually." V jibed.

The ginger giggled and took a bite out of his cake. "Mhmm~! So good!"

M.C. took a spoon and smiled sweetly at him, "Can I taste?" she blinked her suddenly big and pleading eyes at him.

Seven dropped his spoon and gaped at her.

And so did the rest of the RFA.

The hacker blinked, not believing his eyes. "Uhm…" he hesitantly nodded. "Okay…uh, sure." And nudged the plate to her.

M.C. smiled so brightly that the members got real scared.

Then M.C.'s eyes flashed and she spooned half of the cake slice into her mouth. She chewed slowly and swallowed, "There, I think that's enough sugar for you now—Oh wow, that _is good._ " She blinked owlishly and drank her glass of water.

"I need to go to the bathroom." Seven stood up, tripped and fell. M.C. gasped. "I'm okay!" the ginger fixed his glasses and wobbled to the restroom.

"What's his problem?" M.C. stared at his back, "Do you think he got offended? Maybe I should order him a new one…" she looked at them worriedly.

V snapped out of his trance, "He's fine, M.C. Maybe he just didn't expect your sweet tooth to be so…sweet." He bit his lip.

Jumin coughed. "You were talking about your list?" he gestured to the paper on her hands.

M.C. blinked, "Oh, right! Yes. So aside from the banks…" she continued to talk and luckily for the rest of the frazzled members of RFA, Jaehee got back to her senses and listened to her babble. She smiled amusingly at the other members before turning her attention back to M.C., who seemed oblivious to the others' lack of.

Yoosung fiddled with his fingers, "So endearing…" he closed his eyes tightly, "How can someone so…be so…"

"Ohmigods…" Zen gasped and leaned over to Yoosung, "I'm going to share a parfait with her!" he whispered to the blonde, "I've been single for years now, I can't handle that little bunny so suddenly! At least not like this!"

"Even Elizabeth the 3rd has never had her eyes sparkle like that. I feel strange so suddenly." Jumin rubbed at his chest.

V shook his head dazedly and signaled for the waiter. "Can we get another pitcher of cold water please? Ice cold, if you will. Thank you."

Seven returned from the restroom, his face all wet. He sat down and sighed. Yoosung handed him some tissues.

"And that's that!" M.C. nodded satisfactorily. She folded her list and kept it in her pocket.

The RFA snapped out of their individual bubbles of thought and looked alarmingly at M.C. Jaehee chuckled, "Don't worry. As much as we haven't been acting like it lately," she gave a pointed look at the males, "we do have some sense of responsibility. We can handle this."

M.C. conceded, "Alright then! Oh, just in time!" the waiter smiled at her and handed out the other plates of desserts. The sweet-lover thanked him and handed everyone their spoons. M.C. nudged the parfait to the albino, "Go on, pretty boy. It looks good!" she paused and mumbled under her breath, "I suppose it should be, since it costs such a fortune…"

Zen swallowed nervously, "O-okay. You know, I'm not that hungry for dessert…I'll—I'll just take a bite, then it's yours!" He scooped a pineapple slice covered in cream and ate it. He then nudged the glass back to M.C.

The student frowned sadly, "You don't like it?"

He shook his head, "No! I mean, yes! I do like it—" he sighed and rubbed at his temples, "—I think I like it too much that it's giving me a headache."

M.C. blinked, "We're not talking about the dessert, are we?"

Zen sighed, "No, we're not. Just please eat it, M.C. It's yours. I'm okay." He smiled weakly at her.

M.C. pouted—Yoosung choked on his bite—and nodded, "Alright, suit yourself. But go on and scoop a bite if you want some, okay?" she dug her spoon in and took a small mouthful of the treat. She sighed happily.

"Ohmigods…" the albino gasped to himself.

Jaehee was now chuckling, while taking small, happy bites of her ordered dessert.

Jumin nudged his plate, "Here, M.C. It is a strawberry pancake. You can have this piece."

"Oh, really?" M.C.'s eyes sparkled before she eyed him suspiciously. "This isn't a trap, is it?"

"Just take it."

V looked at him incredulously, "Never in the whole span of our friendship have I ever pegged you the type to share."

The heir merely shrugged, "And never in the whole span of our friendship have I ever pegged you the type to prod."

The photographer chuckled, "Touché." He gently pushed his plate to M.C., "This is really good, M.C. It would be a shame if a dessert-lover like you wouldn't get to taste it." He winked at her and stood up, "I'll just wander outside for a bit." V made his way out of the restaurant.

"Why is everybody giving me their food so suddenly? Am I a dog, huh? Why am I getting all your scraps?"

"We can't let the blind man wander off on his own!" Seven gasped and ate his cake slice. He finished a full glass of cold water and stood up, "I, Seven Oh Seven, shall finally escape your" he pointed to M.C., "crazy mood swings to aid the disabled. Defender of Justice, out!" he mic-dropped his spoon and sped off.

M.C. heard him mumble, "Stupid blind guy leaving us to fend for ourselves…"

"Hey Seven, wait! My stomach can't handle too much of this!" Yoosung stuffed the rest of his cupcake into his mouth before taking huge gulps of water. "I'll buy you a cupcake once I get my money, okay M.C.? See you in a while when you're back to normal!" and he dashed out after Yoosung.

"Cowards," Zen and Jumin both mumbled.

M.C. stared confusedly at the doors, "What is up with those weirdos?"

Jaehee actually laughed, "Don't mind them, M.C. Why don't you make work of all those desserts now? We do have to get back to shopping, and you would certainly need your energy." She suggested, a sparkle in her eye.

M.C. nodded happily and began taking small bites off of V's panna cotta, all the while sighing happily.

Jumin left at her first bite of the strawberry pancake. Zen bolted when she was hallway through the parfait.

 _Men._ The brunette snickered.

M.C. barely noticed though, too occupied with filling her sweet tooth. And Jaehee enjoyed her coffee cream and jelly with her, all the same.

* * *

 **A/N:** It will probably take a while before I get to update again, but I hope you look forward to it nonetheless. I am really grateful to all those who continue to support this story (views, visitors, reviews, follows, favorites), it really keeps me going.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

See you until next time then.

And to:

 **Kurama 2004**

You have no idea how happy you made me, knowing how you look forward to the updates. I can only hope that you continue to enjoy the story as it progresses, despite the irregularity in updates.

Proper sleep and intake of food is a must, as RFA insisted. And I wish you good luck in school.

I am glad that the story is interesting to you, your support is a huge driving force for my writing. I on the other hand, read the reviews almost every day so I am really grateful. Knowing that this makes you and other people happy, I will try my best for this story. Thank you so much, and I hope to talk to you more.

 **Avatar . NIX**

Thank you so much for that. I am glad you like the story, and appreciate the M.C. in this story. Honestly, I am not entirely sure about the plot either. I already have the general idea, but it is the details that makes a great story, and I think I need to work more on that. The ending is still vague, though I hope for a happy ending as well. I am just not sure yet as to how I can do that.

I have never left the country myself, so I guess we are both inexperienced in that department. I guess it contributes as to why I want to share bits of the Philippines to you, readers. It warms my Filipino heart that you appreciate the bits of our culture and way of living that I put in.

Thank you again! I hope to hear more from you.

 **Aerin606**

DOES JUMIN HAN IS FINALLY SHOWING INTEREST IN A GIRL? _Medyo nakakatuwa nga siya doon sa_ last chapter _. Sa totoo lang, medyo hirap pa ako sulatin yung mga_ characters, _kasi medyo_ vague _pa yung mga_ personalities _nila para sa akin_. _Kung_ based _kasi sa_ game, _sa tignin ko, nag-iiba-iba yung_ personalities _nila_ based _kung kaninong_ route _yung nilalaro. Kaya kinakapa ko pa kung ano talaga yung susundin ko._

 _Tungkol naman sa mga teorya at tanong…sa totoo lang parehas pa tayong_ clueless. _Abangan na lang natin sa mga susunod na_ chapter.

Regarding _naman kay_ M.C., _gusto ko sana ma_ represent _niya yung mga_ general personalities as a whole. _Yung mga_ details _tungkol sa kanya na nilalagay ko, sinisikap ko na hindi naman malayo sa_ _pangkaraniwang tao, para_ one way or another, _maka-_ relate _yung mga_ readers _kahit papaano. Isa yun sa mga bagay na hiniling sa akin nung kaibigan ko nung naisipan kong isulat ito._

 _Doon naman sa_ Cheritz, other M.C.s, _kung gaano katagal yung_ RFA, Mint Eye, _mae_ encounter _din ng_ RFA _at_ M.C. _yan dito sa_ story, _abangan na lang din natin._

 _Yung_ romance _, sa totoo lang hirap din ako isulat yon. Nage-aim ako sa_ slow _na_ build-up, since strangers _pa si_ M.C. _sa kanila,_ at least in person. _Tsaka sinusubukan ko din na pantay-pantay ang_ build-up, since _iba-iba yung mga_ readers _ng gusto. Kaya hirap din ako sa_ character selection, _kasi_ limited _lang_ to four, _tapos wala pang_ RFA _lang na nakalagay._ And more on friendship talaga yung relationships _sa ngayon_ , _pero syempre di naman maiiwasan yung_ romantic side. _At salamat at nagustuhan mo yung kay_ V and M.C., _sana mapasaya ka din nung_ encounters _niya sa iba, lalo na kay_ Seven, _since siya yung_ bet _mo._

 _Si_ Rika _at_ Saeran, _lalabas sila sa_ story. _Di ko alam kung kalian, pero panigurado makikilala din sila ni_ M.C.

 _Pasensya na, di ko ata nasagot ng maayos yung iba mong tanong. Pero yung iba, lalabas naman sa mga susunod na_ chapters. _Baka kasi kapag sinagot ko na, maging_ spoilers _na sa_ story, _pasensya na. At maraming salamat!_

 _Pwede ko ba matanong kung taga-saan ka sa Pilipinas? Sana maka_ -review _ka ulit. Salamat kababayan._

 **ChrisJoy606**

I'm crying that it makes you cry too. Thank you for the support. _Pinoy ka din ba? Maraming salamat ulit._

 **Tsurohito-Lianrie**

And I hope you can love it until the end. My friend is the real MysticMessenger fan, so I wanted to write something for her, as she is the one who encouraged me to start writing too. Let's look forward to more M.C. and RFA encounters. Thank you for your support, and I hope you can leave another review in the future as well.

* * *

 _Salamat po!_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Hey, I'm here with chapter 13. I apologize for the wait, lots of things going on at the moment. But anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this as well, it's a bit more serious than the last chapter, I think.

Warning for some spoilers, and Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13: In which M.C. gets comforted by primary colors  
**_

* * *

V was leaning over the railing, rubbing his eyes, when Seven followed him out. "V, you have the highest of my respects…but that was such a traitorous move! You totally ditched us!"

The photographer turned to him and chuckled, "I don't know what you're talking about, Luciel." He wore his sunglasses back on.

"Yeah, right."

"Hey!"

They both turned to see Yoosung dashing out the doors, a bright flush on his cheeks.

Seven snorted, "You got a bit of color on your face, bro. About…" he gestured to the whole of it, "…all of there."

The blonde slapped his hands away and gasped, "Where do you think is the restroom? I need to wash up, I feel so dizzy all of a sudden!"

V nodded back at the direction of the Italian restaurant, "There's a restroom inside."

Yoosung gawked at him, "Go back? _To where M.C. is eating dessert?_ No way! I need to look for another restroom. Be right back!" he dashed off.

V and Seven stared at his running form before turning their attention back to the people roaming around the mall. It was a little after noon now, and the crowd is slowly growing.

The blue-haired man turned to his companion, "You have something there, too…" He pointed at the hacker's ears and chuckled, "It's as red as your hair. Is it ketchup?"

"I didn't expect it, alright?" Seven rubbed at his ears, which only colored more. "She's nagging and yapping one moment, then she's laughing and sighing the next! It's insane!" He sighed, "Such a weird girl…"

"You are one to talk. You aren't exactly…plain either."

"You hesitated!"

"I was looking for a polite term to use."

"Whatever."

They stayed silent for a moment before V spoke up again, "She is a bit complicated, don't you think?"

Seven blinked, "And what's your point?"

"No doubt that the reason why we are here is related to M.C. And if we really are here to help her, I am worried that it might take a while. She doesn't seem…eager for assistance."

The hacker nodded slowly, "Just like someone I know. Hey, you know what? I think you know him too! He's a photographer, with his naturally-blue hair swept to the side…Oh! And he disappears most of the time, and has twenty spoons in his house for some apparent reason…"

"You're hilarious, Luciel." V shook his head. "My situation is different."

"I recall M.C. saying something similar a few hours ago."

"Oh? And what else do you recall about her?"

"Well—hey! Stop it!"

V laughed. "I'm not doing anything."

"Did I mention that the dude I was talking about was a total ass?" the hacker made face at him before continuing, "Anyway…I wanted to ask something." He looked at their leader, "What really happened with your eyes?"

"I got into an accident."

Seven gave him appointed look, "You really expect me to believe that?" he looked away and rubbed at the back of his neck, "I know you have your secrets, and I know I should respect that…but I'm just worried, okay?"

The photographer shook his head, "Don't worry about me, Luciel. People get into accidents all the time."

"Don't give us that bull, V."

They both turned at the deep voice, to see Jumin coming out from the restaurant.

V smirked, "Can't take the heat?"

"Remind me to never get on her bad side."

Seven mumbled, "No matter what we do, we always seem to be on her bad side."

"Answer the question." Jumin deadpanned and crossed his arms. "I only knew that you got problems regarding your eyesight, but I never knew the extent of it."

The photographer sighed, "I don't think this is the main concern right now."

"We have lots of concerns. But that doesn't mean we have to disregard yours." The hacker faced him with a serious look, "Now that you don't have the option to run off to wherever, you need to tell us. So we can help you. Only then, do I think can we handle M.C. We have to help ourselves along the way."

"We know how otherworldly selfish you are, V. And how much you want to please people for reasons I cannot fathom—"

V and Seven snorted.

"—but as you probably realize, we are all what we have in this world now. Aside from M.C., I think we got transported here to sort our own issues. Yours is as big of a concern as ours."

"Are we having an intervention?" Yoosung suddenly piped in.

"FOR THE LOVE OF—Yoosung! You don't sneak up on people like that!" Zen gasped.

They all turned to the albino, "Since when did you get here?!"

"Just recently, when this jerk stated his inability to sympathize with another human being." The actor shrugged his shoulders.

" _You_ don't just sneak up on people like that."

"Shush. This is V's moment."

The photographer looked at them before smiling sadly, "I apologize for keeping a lot from you. All of you."

Yoosung bit his lip, "You are our leader, V. It just hurts that you started disappearing and keeping secrets, and we can't do anything to help or make of the situation."

"I understand," V nodded, "But please trust me when I say that I never meant to hurt any of you. And that I only wanted to do what I thought was right then." He let out a tired sigh. "My eyes, the hacker, the RFA classified information…and Rika…there are a lot that you don't know. I'll say now, it's all connected to each other. " He bit his lip.

Seven whistled, "Well…that seems big."

Yoosung rolled his eyes at him. "You think?"

"Way to ruin the moment."

V laughed lightly. "It is a heavy matter. And I don't think this is the place to talk about it either."

They looked around.

Jumin took a deep breath, "Alright, fine. Let's let it slide this time." He addressed his childhood friend and gave him a firm look. "But I need your word that you will tell us. If not now, then hopefully soon."

"I gave you guys my word on our first night here. And know that I have no intention of turning my back on it this time." He chuckled, "M.C. would beat me to a pulp me if I did."

Speaking of the temperamental girl, they looked back at the restaurant to see her walking out with Jaehee. She was laughing at what the brunette said, then she turned to their direction. M.C. stomped her way to them, with the brunette in tow, and frowned, "Thanks for leaving us in there, you jerks." She blinked at the earnest looks on their faces, "What were you guys talking about?"

"Just about how pretty you are." Zen replied and poked her cheek.

M.C.'s eyes flashed dangerously, "You're freaking hilarious." She raised her fist for a punch, and the actor grimaced. But the student stopped midway and scoffed, "You're lucky I won't hurt you now, since you gave me the parfait." She sniffed before walking off. "Let's get going."

The RFA gawked at her. Jumin whispered to Jaehee, "Assistant Kang, remind us to always have something sweet at the house."

"Noted, Mr. Han."

* * *

Seven squealed. _Oh my sweet technology! Daddy's here!_

They were now at the Cyberzone— _"Cyberzone?!_ I love it already! _"_ —of SM North, where stores of anything that has to do with electronics and gadgets are situated. Jaehee, Jumin and Zen were left at a certain store selling laptops. The two men were too engrossed with a demo of the latest model to move, so Jaehee volunteered to stay with them and agreed to just meet up later on.

Which left M.C. with the primary-color-haired men.

They were _only_ supposed to look ridiculous.

But no. Seven had to _act_ like it too.

M.C. sighed and gave Yoosung a tired look, "Please take care of that baby, I will help V with the camera first. I already told Seven to browse for what computers or gadgets he might need, but I think he's too excited to be left on his own."

They both turned to the ginger, whose face was pressed on a store's display glass.

The blonde scratched at his cheek, "I can't promise anything, but I'll try!"

M.C. laughed, "Try what you must, Yoosung. We can't risk to be pressed with charges."

She suddenly frowned and mumbled, " _We can't really risk anything…_ "

Seven removed his face from the glass. "Aw, come on. I'm not that eccentric." And turned to look at her.

He blinked at the sudden paleness that took over the girl's countenance, and at the tension at her body, "You look…worried, M.C."

The girl clutched her head, "It's because I am!"

She cracked.

The hacker recoiled from her outburst.

M.C. pulled the ginger away from the store, and dragged him to where the other two of the RFA are at. "I mean, what should I be feeling right now, really? We're wasting tons of money— _charity_ money—for a house and clothes and food and computers and cameras and gadgets and other stupid stuff—"

Yoosung grabbed her arms in a gentle but firm hold, "M.C., calm down—"

She grabbed his arms back, slightly shaking him, "No, Yoosung! We've been 'calm' about this situation enough! _What are we doing? What am I doing?!_ " she walked away from his hold and stomped over to the direction of the store where they left the other three. "We should be back at home, talking and settling your issues! Your eyes and Rika. And then there's the stupid emo hacker and those classified information in the apartment that has a freakin' bomb in it and Elizabeth the 3rd is left at home and then—I should be looking for ways to get you back and—"

Seven blinked himself out of stupor and took huge strides to place himself in front of her, blocking her way, Yoosung and V at his back. M.C.'s eyes were wide-open, but they were blankly staring back at them. The hacker eyed her confusingly, "Hey, M.C. Look at me."

"I am looking at you!" her brows furrowed.

He hesitated before placing his hands on her shoulders, giving them a light squeeze, "Look at _me,_ M.C."

The girl's left eye twitched.

"Yeah, okay." Seven sighed, "You're seeing me, right? And I'm talking to you, right now. And touching you. You can hear me, you can feel me—"

"And you're creeping me out!" she backed away from him, "What's your point?"

Seven looked at her intently, "My point is that I am _real_ , M.C. We all are. Right now, this isn't a game anymore. We are renting a house, and eating food, and buying clothes and computers and cameras and gadgets and other stupid stuff using the funds because we are real and we _need_ it. Because we did _talk_ about it, and this is the plan that we came up with. And we are sticking to it because shopping and eating and buying stuff is what we should do right now."

M.C. just stared back at him.

"Do you get what I'm saying?" Seven asked.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Yeah…I do. I think." M.C. shook his hands off of her shoulders. She rubbed at her face tiredly before addressing the two youngest members, "You should go on and look for the computers that you would need."

"Are you sure?" Yoosung asked uncertainly, "Maybe we should sit down for a while."

"I never thought I'd say it so soon, but Seven's right. We need the computers for hacking, and the camera to quickly make up for lost money." She shrugged. "It just frustrates me that we're spending money on the things that I could have borrowed or foraged for."

"You have a valid point, M.C. But we are on a time limit. We came up with this plan with the Eleventh Day Target in mind. This is a move that we need to do, with the immediately available resource that we have." V reasoned. "Don't blame yourself for this, M.C. We all agreed on this."

Yoosung nodded, "We'll take this slowly at a time, okay?" He tapped M.C.'s forehead lightly, "The issues, we'll settle at home. Right now, I think we have a list of yours that we need to complete."

Seven put his arm around Yoosung's shoulders, "Yeah. Browsing through the models would take a while, so we'd go now. Don't think too much on that matter, M.C. We have seven heads at work here, we'll come up with something." He paused, "Okay, six because Yoosung's head is afloat somewhere. And—oh, maybe five—no, four? Because Zen and Jumin's own heads are stuck up their—"

The blonde elbowed him on the gut, "Oh shut up!"

V shook his head, "You were already there, Luciel. You just had to ruin the moment, huh?"

M.C. snorted. "Yeah. Okay. Just leave before he says anything more."

After the kids scurried off—"Oh! Look at that screen! So slick! Oh—and that CCTV, you can practically not see it coming!" "Seven, wait! We need to—Ohmigods, look at those graphics!"—M.C. turned back to her companion. "I'm sorry for that outburst." She nervously rubbed her lips with her fingertips, "I'm really just confused."

They began to walk, "No need for any of that, M.C. You panicked, and it is fine." V consulted. "Please do not burden yourself too much because of us."

The girl side-glanced at him. "That's what I should be saying to you." She paused in her walking, halting V also, "What do you plan to do?"

"If we pass by the Eleventh Day Target, I will get the surgery here immediately."

"And if you return by then?" M.C.'s frown deepen. Despite her insistence, they were still leaning towards Project Long Run.

She can't entirely blame them. She just wished they also will themselves to get back in eleven days.

Though the preparation they are doing now leads on otherwise.

"If we return by then, I will fix things within the RFA. Then I will get the surgery from the doctor Jumin recommended for me."

M.C. crossed her arms. "You better. I may not be there, but you still have to keep your word."

There was something in the look of resolve in her eyes that will get V wondering for days on. "Yes, of course." He took in a softer tone, "Ease your mind, M.C. The doubt will only cloud your thoughts."

"Yeah, okay."

One unspoken thought ran through their minds.

 _This is still an issue of trust._

 _Does M.C. trust herself with them?_

The two arrived at humble store displaying cameras. The RFA leader opted to lighten the mood, "You know, I was about to take a photo with a newly-bought camera before I got here. A shot of a beautiful hiking path up the mountains." V said to her. He was looking through the new models of DSLRs. "My stuff must be crushed by the wilderness by now."

"Or you probably made some random mountain-climber very happy." M.C. snorted, "Rather, the wild animals would get to work with a professional camera now, thanks to you."

V laughed, "You have quite the sense of humor, little girl." He shook his head at her, "But hey, they do say that an artist's mind works different from others."

M.C. frowned at him, "Hey, do not call me little just because you're a giant! I'll have you know, I am rather tall for a female Filipino." She crossed her arms, "I used to believe that thought too, but then I met Seven and…"she trailed off.

The photographer chuckled at her, "Luciel is a whole new level of mad genius." He turned to a store clerk, "Excuse me, sir? Can I have a closer look at this?" he pointed to a Canon camera.

Darrel, as stated in his nametag, nodded, "Okay, sir. Please give me a few minutes." He headed to their backroom.

The student checked at her List Number 2 (List Number 1 was the general agenda for that day), "Well I have no clue when it comes to cameras. But my block-mate recommended Canon, and my other friend said Nikon is also good for both videos and pictures. Though Pentax models seem cheaper according to my cousin…" she looked to and fro at her list and the display.

"My old cameras were ranging from Banana to Olymbus. And the new one that I got is Ganon." He looked at the display labels, "And I guess that's Apple, Olympus and Canon here, respectively." V looked around and whispered, "I must sound like a complete idiot."

"Yeah, maybe a bit. You guys should refrain from blurting out brands and such. I had to argue with Zen earlier about Starbucks and it was exhausting. Now I have two stores that I should steer clear off." M.C. sighed.

"Here it is, sir. The Nikon D3300 DSLR. Most people buy it because it is compact and lightweight than others. It has an APS-C sized image sensor with 24 megapixels of resolution, yielding strong image quality." Darrel took the camera out of its box and handed it to V.

M.C. got lost along ASC-P— _was that even right?—_ because the succeeding words suddenly sounded like 'blah-blah-blah'.

She leaned in to V, "You understand him, right? You know what to buy, right?" she looked at the camera, "I think that's too small for you."

The RFA leader chuckled, "Yes. Don't worry, I'll talk to him."

As the store clerk and V talked, the student wandered off to the center display case. She only took a brief look at a fancy-looking camera when an employee came up to her, "May I help you, ma'am?"

M.C. blinked, "Oh? Uh…" she bit her lip. _Crap, I don't have any idea about all this and now this store girl will probably interrogate me and talk me into buying something because she needs to make sales so she can feed her family and—_

 _Okay, calm down. Just smile and shake your head, no._

"Sure! Can I see this?"

 _What the—_

"Oh, the Canon EOS 5Ds? Of course ma'am, if you could wait a moment." She went to the counter and asked their manager for the test model.

M.C. bit her lip, _Oh no. What does all those letters and numbers mean anyway?_ She looked around the store for V, who currently had his back turned to her and was listening to an explaining Darrel. _Turn around dude! Maybe I should go there and—_

"Here it is, ma'am." The store girl—her nametag says 'Erika'—handed her the camera.

The frantic student's eyes widened, "Oh, wow you're quick! Uh, thanks…this looks…professional! Real professional. Real nice. Real smooth." M.C. made a show off inspecting the gadget. _Idiot. Erika is probably saying the same thing._

Erika was nice enough—or she just want to make a sale—to ignore her adjectives and gestured to the camera in M.C.'s hands, "The Canon EOS 5Ds DSLR camera has both a CF and SD memory card slot, 5 frames per second burst mode in the RAW image format, and a 61-point autofocus system, ma'am. Those who actually have this checked out are usually the professionals that have the budget for it."

Even though M.C. didn't understand half of the things she said, she asked anyway, "Oh…so this is recommended for real deal then? It seems a bit heavy, though. And...uh, what about the accessories? This is just…the body, isn't it?"

While M.C. fumbled for questions, V turned to Darrel, "You'd recommend these for beginners?" he opened the camera and clicked at the settings.

The male clerk nodded, "This particular model has a Guide mode, which can walk the user step by step through using some of the camera's settings, which is a great beginner-level feature. Most of the starting photographers ask for this, if not the cheaper models."

V hummed and adjusted his sunglasses. He pointed the lens at M.C. and clicked a shot. He turned to Darrel, "Oh, this is okay, right?"

The store clerk nodded and smiled. "Of course, sir! Feel free to test it."

The aqua-haired man nodded and fiddled with the other buttons of the Nikon before taking a few more shots of his female companion, who was otherwise oblivious.

Darrel gave him a funny look, "If you don't mind me asking, sir…is she your—"

"You better stop right there, my good man." V looked at him from the camera, "When someone asked her earlier if she was someone's girlfriend, she went berserk." He smiled solemnly at the unaware M.C. _Besides, I already have the sun of my life…_

"Oh! Uh, I apologize sir. And to add…you look like a professional, and the camera…I haven't gotten to explaining yet but you already seem to get the hang of it." the male clerk chuckled nervously.

"You have a good eye, Darrel." V checked at his shots. He smiled at one particular photo. Darrel leaned in a bit and his eyes widened. At the photo was his companion glaring at the camera. Her background was blurred, and the picture really captured the concentrated look in her eyes.

Darrel winced at the intensity of it. The shot was that good.

V talked to him as he clicked, "I worked with cameras before, though…it's been a while since I have handled one."

 _Aside from the new Ganon camera two days ago. But you don't need to know that._

"Is that so, sir? Maybe I should get you more advanced models then?"

V came upon a particular shot and he gave a small laugh, "I think my companion already got that covered for me." He looked at M.C., who was listening intently to the clerk explaining to her, and handed the Nikon camera back to Darrel. "I would like to take this model. Can you include the basic accessories for that? Like a case, and a memory card, too." The clerk nodded.

Then V squinted his eyes at him. Darrel looked back, "Is there anything else, sir?"

The photographer blinked, "Oh, I apologize for staring. It's just…you look like a good friend of mine. He is a photographer, too."

The salesman nodded, "Well he must be a good man to befriend someone as nice as you, sir. If I may, I used to travel and take photos a lot too!" he sighed, "But I stopped since I have to save up for further schooling."

"No wonder you seemed passionate about explaining earlier, you really know your cameras. You should pursue photography if you really want it." V advised him.

"Thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind. Oh!" Darrel reached into his back pocket. "I know of a place where they accept rentals for exhibits and galleries just nearby. If you ever want to, you can call this." He handed him a calling card, "It is owned by a friend of mine. I would love to see more of your photos, sir!"

V took the card and hid it in his pocket, "Thank you, Darrel. I really appreciate it."

"I'll go and wrap these up then. And fetch the camera accessories." He was about to head to the backroom when V called him back, "Yes, sir?"

"If it's not any trouble, I would like to keep the photos I just took."

Darrel smiled slyly at him, "No problem sir!"

V ignored the crafty smile and nodded his thanks. He went to M.C.'s side, "Hey, little one."

M.C. jumped and turned to him. "I'm holding something fragile here!" she glared and kicked his shin, as her hands are occupied with the camera.

V flinched and curled his kicked leg, "Ah! Alright, sorry." He rubbed at it and gestured to the camera at her hands, "Taking the professional level, are you?"

"You're funny." M.C. mock-laughed. "Anyway, Erika was just explaining to me how…err, great this model is. Here, take a look." She practically shoved it to him.

Erika beamed at them, "Is he your—"

"Friend." V smiled, "A good friend of the little lady here." He inspected the gadget and chuckled at her, "This looks really...great."

M.C. snorted, "Yeah. She told me that's what most of the high-end professionals ask for, whenever some stop by. That's Canon, by the way. With a 'C'." She smirked at him.

"You are such a doll." V took a sudden shot of her snarling face.

"Hey! Delete that trash!" M.C. smacked his shoulder and grabbed the camera, "Erika, how do you work this?" she grunted and pressed random buttons.

The female store clerk gently took the camera and deleted the stolen photo. M.C. sighed, "I'm sorry you had to see that. Kids these days, huh?" she gave a dirty look at V, "Anyway, I think you should buy this. You have the money. And Erika said that if paid in full today, the lenses, tripod and other accessories can be included with a discount!"

V asked for the camera again and he fiddled with its buttons. He asked Erika for the specs as M.C. watched him operate the gadget. He gestured to her, "Just one," and positioned the camera.

M.C. scowled even more.

When V took another shot, she covered the lens, "Hey! You said one only!" she punched him on the shoulder and handed the camera back to the saleswoman, "We'll take this model."

Erika nodded and took the camera and the box, along with the other contents, to the storage room.

The student turned to him, "Will that be good enough?"

V nodded as he looked at the other models. "Yes. And I had another one wrapped, too."

She bit her lip, "Two cameras? Is it the Nikon that you were discussing with Darrel, earlier?"

"Mhmm. It is a good starting DSLR camera. I can work with either just as fine. Besides," V turned to her, "if you're ever interested in learning it, I can teach you with that model."

The student shook her head, "Technology hates me. But I think two cameras would do you good now, you can probably lend the other one to the others if you ever needed assistance or something." She snorted, "Not Jumin though, he takes horrible pictures."

He can hear Seven and Zen's snickering. _Denied, bro._

* * *

They made their way out the store, the Nikon and Canon cameras purchased, along with the accessories. Though M.C. had asked if they could made a grab for it later instead, as they still had more shopping to do. Darrel and Erika nodded and handed them the receipt, said that they should just show it to the counter for them to be able to retrieve their items. M.C. thanked them both and put the receipt in her wallet.

"Alright, wonder where Seven and Yoosung are?" she mumbled. They both walked along the mall, glancing at each of the stores they passed by in order to catch a glimpse of their other companions.

Five stores away from where they purchased the cameras, they saw Jaehee, Jumin and Zen, the latter two bickering and the brunette shaking her head at them. Outside the store, a few shoppers were giggling and pointing at them.

M.C. glared. _Of course. When there is a crowd, I am bound to find any one of them._ "Okay, V. As super excited I am to see Jumin and Zen, I'm going to look for the kids first. Maybe you should go inside and find anything else that you would need for your photos." She paused then snapped, "Oh, and if ever you are as dense as your BFF over there, I was being sarcastic at the first part."

V nodded, "I got it. Go on ahead before you get trampled over, little girl." He gave a small smile at her.

"I am not a little girl!" she growled and angrily shoved him inside before stomping off.

"Stupid tall V…stupid rich Jumin…stupid talented Zen…stupid—no, not Jaehee…" she mumbled to herself. She sighed. _I must look stupid right now. Where are those two?! Maybe I should have gone with them first instead._

She looked around the stores and spotted a huge one that sells electronic games, controllers and other gaming gadgets. M.C. shrugged and headed there right away. The store was pretty crowded, and it took a while even for her to spot the ginger and blonde among them. They were ogling at something inside a glass shelf.

 _What a bunch of nerds._ M.C. snorted and bumped their shoulders, "Hey kiddos. Watcha looking at?" she leaned in between their shoulders and saw a game trailer being played in a high-definition flat screen television.

The blonde beamed at her, "M.C.! How are you feeling?"

The girl pointed her chin at the screen, "Not as happy as you two are, seeing that game, but fine nonetheless."

"Oh, M.C., it has fighting, and adventure, and action, and—argh!" Yoosung raised his fists in the air, "I want to play it~!"

His fellow student slapped his arm, "Stop speaking so loud, Yoosung! I'm standing right next to you!" she sighed, "And you need to have an Xbox for you to be able to play that. But whatever, I don't think that's a necessity now, do you?"

The blonde deflated, "Aw, you're right. That's too bad." He pouted.

M.C. chortled, "Just find something else that you can spend time on for the mean time. Like a puzzle or something."

"A puzzle?" Seven turned to her, an incredulous look in his eyes, "What are you, a granny?"

She grabbed at his collar and growled, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" and she glared, "Puzzles are a good brain stimulator! It tests your patience and attention to detail."

Seven placed his hands on her wrists in an attempt to get them off, as she shook him furiously back and forth, "I was just kidding, M.C.! And I seem to have trouble seeing your puzzle-trained patience!"

M.C. shoved him off. "Whatever. So," she crossed her arms, "have you picked out the computers that you would use?"

The hacker perked up at that and grabbed her hand, "Right! This way, dearest~." He wove them through the crowds of gamers, Yoosung trailing behind.

Seven looked back at her and asked cautiously, "Are you okay now? You're not about to go hysterical again, are you?"

The girl frowned. "I will if you don't let go of my hand this instant."

The hacker let go immediately.

They all paused in their walking. M.C. crossed her arms and sighed, "I am sorry about that. It's just…lots of possibilities are running through my head that I can't seem to think properly. I can't help but wonder if we are doing the right thing or if there's something I've overlooked or forgotten, and I cannot risk that." Her shoulders dropped dejectedly.

Yoosung took her face in his hands, making her look up at him. Her gaze won't still and were moving back and forth, indicating that there are numerous things going through her mind. "M.C." he began gently, "Take a breath and stop thinking too much. You will just end up even more confused."

The girl played with the strands of her hair again. She nodded slowly.

Seven yanked the blonde's hands off of her face and clicked his tongue, "Aggressive doesn't suit your character, Yoosung. Stick to being cute."

"I'm not being aggressive! I just want to calm her down." The blonde smacked him.

The ginger shook his head, "We're the most eccentric out of the group, and I don't think were the right people suited for this."

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck. He can't help but agree. Not to mention, they are both losers when it comes to interacting with women—game character or no.

Good thing that M.C. only has on foot in the female department.

She rubbed at her face hard, and furiously shook her head. M.C. took deep breaths and rolled her shoulders. "Okay, yeah. Let's do this first." She clicked at her tongue loud enough to shake the other two. M.C. snapped her head to the side, satisfied at the small crack that she heard, tension finally seeping off of her being.

The two flinched at the sound. Yoosung brought a hand to his own neck, "Ow." He mumbled.

"I-is this your attempt of calming yourself down?" Seven asked shakily.

M.C. scratched at her head, "Sort of. It eases off my nerves." She nudged them both to move forward again.

They eventually reached the personal computers and desktops section. Seven turned to her warily, "Alright, M.C…" he began slowly

She rolled her eyes. "Go on, I'm not going to break into pieces."

"Okay." The hacker nodded. "I'm going to need a Dell XPS Tower Special Edition, and two Dell XPS 27 AIO—each for me and Yoosung—, three Dell XPS 13, one SilverStone TJ11-BW, an LG Electronics 34-inch UM67 34UM67, two Ducky Legend Keyboards, three Asus ROG Gladius II, two HP OfficeJet Pro 6830 e-All-in-One and a Cyber Acoustics CA-5648 Aluminum Series High-Performance Speaker System. The accessories can come after, and—"

Seven blinked. Yoosung and M.C. were staring at him, slack-jawed.

"What?"

"For the love of Mother Technology—you can't expect us to understand all of that!" The blonde shook his head.

M.C. wrinkled her nose. "You lost me at Dell PSX—"

"Dell XPS," Yoosung and Seven corrected.

M.C. scowled at them. She sighed and shoved a paper and pen at him, "Here, write it down. And if you could grace us with your kindness, kindly cite beside those brands— _in a language that we can understand, if you will_ —what kind of actual device it is. I don't speak computer nerd." She crossed her arms.

"Alright-y!" the hacker clapped his hands and shoved the writing tools to Yoosung, "Okay bro, listen up…"

"You're unbelievable."

After Yoosung listed them down, the proceeded to walk to the customer help counter. M.C. browsed List Number 3, "Why so many of these?"

"Yeah, I'll apologize in advance for all of that. But to explain, those are all I need and nothing more. I specifically chose the high-end brands for their efficient performance and speedy information processors. Though, they are a bit expensive…" he scratched at his cheek. "I'm sorry, M.C. But I want to make quick work of all this, and the only way I can do that is with these models. I based them off of what I have at home."

M.C. sighed, "I won't ask you to explain further, I probably would not understand anyway."

Yoosung blinked, "Oh! I saw the equivalent of LOLOL here, can I just check it out, pretty please?" he pouted.

The girl laughed lightly, "Go on, you big baby. You know where to find us."

And the blonde sped off. The female student shook her head, "What a game freak he is." Then she turned to the ginger head, his face resting on the glass counter, "And you…you're just a plain freak."

Seven lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at her, "I will take that as a compliment too, Mama."

A saleswoman came up. "Hello, how can I help you?" she smiled at them.

M.C. handed her the list, "I would like to inquire about these, and if possible, can I get the estimation for its prices?"

The woman—Ciel, as it says in her nametag—took the list and browsed through it. Her eyes widened, "Most of the things in this list are of the newest brands, ma'am. Some we don't have stock yet, so we would have to call to our main office for it to be shipped." She took a binder from the shelf behind her, "And I must say that these would really cost."

The student nodded slowly, "I'll be using cash to pay. If you can just tell us those that we are able to get today, and how much it costs, maybe we can discuss it further."

The clerk nodded, "Just let me check the storage and records, ma'am, if you'll excuse me." M.C. nodded and Ciel walked a few paces before she turned around to Seven. She blinked at him dazedly.

M.C. looked at her, then at Seven, and back at her, "Is there something wrong?" she gasped, "He's not wanted for anything illegal, is he?"

"Oh no, ma'am!" Ciel shook her head, "I just…there was this game I was playing a few days ago, and he looks quite similar to a certain character in it. The resemblance is…" she blushed.

M.C. and Seven shared glances. "Oh! You mean that dating game?" the hacker laughed nervously, "Yeah, I get that a lot. Though if you ever reach my place, this is actually a common look. Korea and all…"

"I see…" The store girl giggled and then went off.

M.C. stared at her retreating figure, "A game…right. Wow. Now that I think about it, this is probably the most dangerous floor for you guys right now. I mean, gaming stores! In this crowd, there are bound to be more people who would recognize you!" she gasped, "I need to tell Yoosung to go undercover or something." She grabbed her phone and texted. Seven leaned over her shoulder to look.

 _Yoosung. The gaming store is full of nerds. You might get recognized. Most especially by the possible players checking out LOL, they would probably relate your game-hungry character to the game (LOLOL), and thus make you recognizable since your blonde hair is like a beacon in a sea of dull. Seven has already been recognized, the idiot. Remove your hairclips or something. Please be careful. And don't do anything stupid._

Seven was impressed by her ability to sound concerned and insulting at the same time.

M.C. hit 'Send' and sighed. She turned back to the hacker, "You need to disguise a bit, too. The people here are fast and sharp little rascals."

Seven scratched his neck, "But I've already been recognized. What's the point?" he puffed out his chest, "No matter the disguise, nobody can hide the awesomeness that is me, M.C."

"Well awesomeness that is you, I can't handle anymore unnecessary attention right now. If your awesome self wants to risk being recognized and mobbed, then I don't know you." She turned and was about to walk away, "Who is that freak with red-dyed hair and weird glasses anyway?"

The hacker snorted and grabbed at her shoulder, "Alright, Mama! Sheesh." Good thing he left his headphones back at the house. He took of his signature black jacket and held it out to her.

They blinked at each other.

M.C. looked at him blankly for a few seconds, "What? Are you going to do a magic trick or something?"

Seven huffed out a puff of air, "I'm gesturing you to wear it, silly."

"Why do I have to wear it? I'm not cold."

"If I am recognizable as you think I am, then I need to get rid of some of my awesome traces."

"Well, why don't you just wrap it around your waist or—"

"M.C.! Just wear the awesomeness, alright?"

The student glared, "Don't tell me what to do!" she growled and yanked the jacket from him. "Why do I have to wear it anyway?" she mumbled angrily.

Seven grinned as he put back on the cat-designed hoodie that Yoosung mouth-sprayed water on earlier. M.C. then handed him her backpack before wearing his black jacket. His arm sagged at the weight of the bag.

 _SWEET MOTHER OF—what is in this thing?! This can't be just money! She's been carrying something this heavy all this time?_

"There, God of Awesomeness Seven Oh Seven, are you satisfied?" she turned to him and gave a skeptical look. "And the awesomeness smells a bit like cheese."

Seven nodded, his mouth open.

M.C. slapped his jaw shut and held out her hand. The ginger looked at it briefly before reaching out and lacing his fingers through hers.

…

"What are you doing?"

"Uh…"

The girl yanked her hand away and slapped him upside on the head, "Give me _my bag_ , you idiot!"

 _Oh._

"Ow!" Seven rubbed at his head. He glared at her and with shaking arms, he handed her backpack back, "Why did you have to hit me? And what is in this thing?"

"Why did you have to hold my hand?!" she growled back. "You're not _that awesome_." She sniffed, "Just the money. And necessities, in case of emergencies." M.C. took the bag from him and easily hooked it over her shoulders as if it weighed nothing.

 _Damn beast._

"I misunderstood!"

"Whatever." M.C. scowled at him. She reached for his head but he pulled away. "Stop moving! Let me fix your hair a bit." Seven pouted but he bowed a bit anyway. She pushed his hair back from his eyes and parted it to the side, before sweeping it over.

 _Ohmy gods that feels so good. Meow~_

Seven blinked dazedly.

 _Shit. I just internally meowed._

The girl bit her lip, focused on her task. Her fingernails lightly scratched at his scalp, causing the ginger to inhale sharply.

 _Ohh..._

 _Stop it._

M.C. patted and brushed a few more before finally getting satisfied. "There!" she stepped back and looked at him smugly, "I think I did a good job, if I say so myself."

Seven coughed and took off his glasses, rubbing at the already-clean lenses to keep himself occupied. "Are you sure I look okay? You didn't get me cat ears, did you?"

"Since when did you dye your hair red, Zen?"

The hacker laughed, a bit too loud even for his own ears. He winced and took out his phone to stare at his reflection, blabbering some more, "Although, cat ears are not that bad. Maybe I should…"

Luckily, M.C. just took his odd-behavior as a part of his mad-genius everyday-weirdness, "I feel like I'm baby-sitting a five-year-old…and you're _older_ than me."

Ciel returned then. M.C. turned her attention to her. When the store-girl eyed her jacket, she chuckled and rubbed at her covered arms, "I got cold all of a sudden. Your store has strong air-conditioning!"

The clerk gave a small laugh, "Yes. We had to make sure the products are well-ventilated and not overheated. Anyway," she gestured to List Number 3 and M.C. and Seven looked in. A few items have check marks in them. "As I said earlier, most of the products are still new in the market, and we still have to make a call for it. The ordered products will probably make it here in a few days' time. On the other hand, the items here that have check marks are those immediately available right now."

M.C. handed the list to Seven, "He's the geek. I'm just paying." She grinned at Ciel.

The hacker nodded slowly, "Alright then. We'll take two of the Dell XPS desktops, along with the available high-end keyboard and mouse that you have. The inkjet printer too. And all the necessary high-end drives, memory storage, software and accessories that you have right now. The others can follow." He handed the list back to the store girl.

Ciel took the list and marked the items that Seven ordered, "Okay, sir. Just let me get these prepared. Also, your purchases comes with their respective freebies. I'll have them prepared also." She winked at them before stalking off again.

M.C. checked at her watch. _3:11 Pm._ "Wow, already this late? And we still got lots to buy…" she looked up at him, a crease between her brows.

 _She's never this small before! Last time I checked, her arms almost as full as mine!_

He shrugged off his thoughts, "Maybe we should shop some other time for the other things. It's not like we're going anywhere."

"But what about the groceries? We're almost out of milk! And eggs!" she gasped and fiddled with her hair strands. "My list wouldn't be complete…"

"You have a unique sense of order, M.C."

"What do you mean by 'unique'?"

"You like things organized, yet you tend to cause destruction that leaves a trail of disorder along its path."

"…You won this round. Jerk."

"Wohoo! I, Seven Oh Seven has bested the beast—"

"Don't test me."

Ciel appeared again, "I already have my coworkers getting the computers out for testing. Shall we proceed?"

M.C. smiled at her, "Oh good. Yeah, sure!" she turned to the hacker, "You take care of this, alright? You and your computer skills can certainly handle this now. Make sure everything functions right!" she leaned in to whisper, "I will look for Yoosung now. See you outside." She slapped his arm before walking off.

Seven stared at her jacket-clad retreating back. _Maybe I should let her have it…_

"The testing, sir?"

He snapped out of his staring and turned back to the store clerk, "Right! Let's do this!" he laughed nervously.

"Just to clarify, she's not my girlfriend, alright? Someone asked earlier, and let me tell you _it was not pretty. At all…_ Not that I want her to be and—what? Oh, no! No! She'll probably murder me…Yeah? What? Nah it isn't…Yeah, we should get back to testing…"

…

M.C. found Yoosung watching the game trailer—"Oh, M.C.! You should have seen it! The graphics and the story is just-gah!—and once he finished his seventh re-watch, they made their way out the store and waited for Seven.

Said person came out a few minutes later, hugging the boxes of gadgets and devices, and giggling to himself.

M.C. had to persuade—and knock some sense into him, literally—before she got the hacker to surrender the items, to be picked up for later. Seven insisted he keep the receipt just in case. She let him hold onto it so as long he doesn't go referring to the piece of paper as 'My Precious'.

* * *

 **A/N:** I can't promise a quick update this time as well, so thank you for your patience. Thank you for the follows, favorites, views, visitors, and reviews you guys continue to shower this story with!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. And feel free to send a private message if you want.

Until next time!

And to:

 **Kurama 2004**

Thank you for that! Your support helps me greatly. I do hope you get to visit the Philippines sometime, and I am happy that you appreciate the Filipino culture too. I hope you enjoyed this update as well. _Salamat po!_

 **CHARA ATE MY SOUL**

Did I? I hope you didn't get into trouble, though. But hey, thanks!

 **Aerin606**

You're welcome _po!_ I hope you enjoyed this update. _Kanya-kanyang_ ninja moves _yung_ RFA _eh, no? Salamat sa pag-aabang sa mga_ updates. Goodluck _sa_ prelims _!_

 _Natagalan din ako sa_ desserts _na_ part _, di kasi ako gaano sanay sumulat ng_ romance _. Kaya salamat! At wow, taga-Boracay ka pala? Di pa ako napupunta diyan. Kapag nakapasyal ako_ someday _malay mo magkita tayo! Salamat sa pag-_ review!

 **BeautifulyCool**

Hello again! Wow, you must be really smart and diligent to be in honors. I suck at academic schoolwork, I only know how to draw decently. Though we both have the 'I-don't-know-what-I-want-to-do-with-my-future' thing in common. I wish good luck to you and your sister!

Personally, I think I ship M.C. with anyone. I don't have a bias, since I haven't actually played the game. But all the characters seemed interesting in their own way. And cool, I'll try to look that story up. I haven't done much reading and watching these days. Thank you for thinking highly of my story!

This update doesn't have much of Jumin, though. Maybe in the next chapter! But it does have V and Seven so I hope you enjoyed it anyway.

I have guy friends who act like that as well. They see a small change and they panic like crazy.

And aw, you have puppies. That's cute! We don't have any pets at home because no one would take care of them. I hope you slept alright after reading though. Thank you for your continuous reviews and support!

* * *

 _Salamat po!_


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Hello! I decided to post an update to keep my energy going. This one actually took a toll on me, but I hope I made justice of it at least.

Thank you for those who continue to shower this story with their love and support.

Warning for some spoilers, and Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14: In which grocery shopping became two-man a chore  
**_

* * *

M.C. looked intently at the items arranged along the shelf in front of her.

 _This one looks beautiful!_

 _But this one looks more challenging…_

 _But all those colors would look really pretty._

 _Though I guess that would look better in frame…_

 _Oh! This one reminds me of—_

She sighed. "I can't pick. Everything looks nice." She turned to the blonde next to her, "What do you think? This is for you anyway."

After M.C. paid for their gadgets, they headed for the bookstore immediately. Within arriving, she told them to browse for whatever they need and just meet up at the cashier in fifteen minutes. She ended up dragging the LOLOL player with her.

Yoosung blinked at the shelf in front of him and shook his head, "I can't decide either." He sighed, "Do you really think this would help?"

M.C. turned to him, "You need another hobby beside LOLOL, a healthier one. And with the game not being here, I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to actually invest your energy in something else!"

The blonde sighed, "Yeah you're right." He rubbed his neck, "You…probably already know that I wasn't like this back then. It's just…Rika's death really took a toll on me, you know? We were really close…And then college came and I feel like I'm stuck in such a whirlpool all of a sudden…" he trailed off.

M.C.'s eyes was turned to the boxes, and they narrowed when he mentioned her name. _Rika…You had so much love around you, and yet…_ "As cute as you are, Yoosung, you're turning into a man now. Being the same age as you, I think I understand pretty well how scary it is. But maturity and being an adult doesn't actually come with age, you know?"

The blonde blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Well…I think how we deal with our problems and issues in life defines how mature we are. And being responsible for our decisions and facing the consequences of them will define how much of an adult we can be." She grabbed one of the items, inspected it for a while, and then returned it back to the shelf. "If you think about it that way…growing up and maturing is a personal progress that we do at our own pace, don't you think?"

While M.C.'s attention was to the merchandise in front of her as she talked, Yoosung was staring at her with awe in his eyes, "Wow...You—that makes so much sense…"

"I hold on to those thoughts whenever I had to face something difficult. Thought I should share it with a fellow struggler, such as yourself." She tapped a random box, and nudged the blonde's shoulder with her own, "You should be flattered, young sir, I don't give life advice to just anybody." she joked.

Yoosung bit his lip to keep him from bursting into a large grin. He is lucky that M.C.'s attention was turned to the items in front of them and not at him, otherwise, she would probably take note of his pink ears. "I am honored, Oh Great and Honorable M.C.! Your advice will truly be treasured!" he chuckled.

M.C. let out a gentle smile before looking at him seriously, "Yoosung, as obvious as it already is, I just need to say it. I'm not Rika, okay?"

The blonde blinked at her, "Uh…well, yeah. I mean, you are M.C. and—"

The girl rolled her eyes, "Yeah. And I am not like her. I want to help you guys too, but it isn't going to be in a way that she will probably do. Just…what I'm trying to say is, I hope you won't go looking for her in me. Because I'll say it now, you will just get disappointed if you do."

Yoosung frowned confusedly, "Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"

M.C. shrugged as she looked back at the box, "Rika...played a huge part in all of your lives, most especially yours, Yoosung. Aside from V, you are the most affected since you were her family. Right now, you are still mourning for her, and looking for signs of her in anything…I know it's hard, but you have to let her go eventually." She turned back to him, and grabbed his shoulders firmly, "You need to help yourself, Yoosung. The only person that can pull you out of that pit will be yourself. Only then can I—can we help you out."

The blonde felt like he was being stared down, even if she was shorter than him. The black of her eyes seemed to be looking deep into him, trying to reach out—something he never thought he would experience again. "I—I…"

"Not that you have to do it right away. There are some things that you need to know about what happened to Rika. And it will be a lot to take in. Just remember that the RFA is there for you, okay? You aren't alone in this." M.C. patted his head lightly.

The gamer blushed at the contact and nodded hesitantly, "O-okay…" the prickling feeling at the back of his eyes had him looking away from her eyes and moving from her touch, embarrassed of being seen vulnerable.

M.C. recoiled when he pulled away and clenched her fists to her side, "Oh, uhh…I—I'm sorry. That…I may have crossed the line." Her tone went blank, "You know what? I'll just look for the others and—Sorry, I—"

Yoosung turned when he heard the quieting of her tone, having realized that she probably took it the wrong way and called out, "No, M.C.! That isn't—" he rubbed at the back of his neck, "Thank you…I needed that, really."

"We've just met and I'm already sprouting out nonsense." She sighed. "I'm sorry, it must be strange to hear those things coming from a complete stranger, and from another dimension nonetheless."

"Well, a bit. But I…I see that you aren't a bad person, M.C." he fingered a stray hair that was at her right temple and tucked it behind her ears, his cheeks pink, "Thank you for being frank with me, at least. It is a bit refreshing from the secretive nature of the others, actually."

The girl waved off his hand and slapped his arm good-naturedly, "I'm glad you took it that way, then." They shared a small smile before looking back at the merchandise.

"Hey, I think this one's nice," the blonde reached for a box at the upper right—

Just as M.C. did.

His hand overlapped hers.

 _How small and soft…_

 _Yet real painful when you get hit._

He looked into her dark eyes and he suddenly felt bare, as if she can read all his thoughts and emotions. _I suppose she can do that, in a way…_ "M.C…thank you." He smiled shyly at her.

The architecture student smiled back before grabbing the box that they held onto, firmly and started inspecting it. Yoosung let his hand trail off from hers and the object, a slight tingling to them.

"What do you think? Will this do?" she held out the item to him.

Yoosung merely grinned, "Yeah…I think this will manage."

M.C. snorted, "You haven't even taken a good look at it! But fine, we've already strayed enough." She dropped the box gently into the mini-cart before reaching for the blonde's shirt sleeve and dragging him to walk, "Let's go look for the others then."

Yoosung grabbed the rail from her and pushed the cart alongside her. He looked at the box. "A thousand-piece puzzle, huh? Not to be negative or anything, but I don't think I will be able to finish this immediately."

The girl shrugged, "It doesn't matter how long it will take, what's important is that you work to get it done." She grabbed a book from the aisle they were on and paused to read its summary, "Besides, it's not like you would do it alone. If you work with that at the living room or the loft, any of the others would no doubt join you at one point or another." She returned the book only to grab another one. "I'll even help you with it from time-to-time, if you want. I haven't had myself an actual puzzle in a long while."

Yoosung smiled, "I would like that, thanks." He paused a bit, "V loves puzzles too. At least…that's what I remember Rika telling me so back then." He sighed, "I'm…worried about him, to be honest. Even if he isn't my favorite person at the moment."

"V is going through a lot, Yoosung. I understand that you're frustrated with him recently, but let's trust him this time, okay?" M.C. bit her lip, "The things that he knows and the secrets that you guys will eventually know…it's a lot to take in too. He is trying so hard to be strong for all of you. I think...you have to make him realize that you are strong enough too."

The blonde smiled at her and poked her cheek, "Don't worry, M.C. RFA is my family. I'll do what I can to be strong for all of us."

"That's good then." The girl slapped his hand away, "Hey, just because I gave you advice doesn't mean you can go touchy-feely now." She sniffed.

Yoosung laughed, "Yes, yes, I get the message!" They reach the science fiction section of the bookstore. He cleared his throat, "M.C., you said we can actually go about outside the house now…"

"Mhmm," M.C. nodded as she browsed through the titles.

"What do you think about me working part-time?"

She blinked, "You want to work?"

He nodded.

"Wow."

He frowned. "Aw, come on M.C.! Not you too!"

The girl chuckled, "Sorry Yoosung, never thought you would actually want to work, especially since you have been given the situation to not to."

Yoosung scratched at his cheek, "Well, I would like to take this opportunity to actually try and get back my good self-discipline habits, you know?" he shrugged, "Though I am still thinking about it." He grabbed a book, read its summary and put it in the basket.

M.C. hummed, "That's not a bad idea actually. When we went to the bank earlier, there's this coffee shop at an office building from across that has a hiring sign posted at its window. Maybe you could try that."

"Alright, I will!" the blonde grinned. They found themselves in the stationery section of the bookstore.

The pair just turned the corner of a shelf when M.C. tripped over something.

And she would have gone home that day with a bump on her head if it weren't for strong arms that easily caught her.

She looked up to find two pairs of ruby red eyes looking right back at her. "Woah, princess! Are you okay?" Zen asked.

M.C. tensed at his hold and pushed him, of course. Only she didn't expect her own strength because she got pushed off backwards herself, the weight of her bag bringing her down.

And she landed on whatever she tripped on earlier.

It groaned. "OW!"

M.C. turned to her side and saw a head of red hair.

V, Jumin and Jaehee came at that moment to see an M.C. lying on her back over a sprawled Seven on his stomach.

"Uhm…"

Surprisingly, M.C. merely lied there. "Do I really want to know the reason why you are laying down here?" she blinked her eyes lazily.

Zen held out his hand to her. The girl clicked her tongue and took his hand to stand up. He almost fell over her strong pull of him but he managed to pull her up successfully. Yoosung helped the hacker get up after, "Geez, Seven. I almost ran you over with the cart!"

Seven rubbed his back, "Oh seriously! Does your bag have bricks in it or something? And you should really lay off on all that chicken." She punched him. "Ow!" he rubbed at his arm this time. "Being run over by the cart may not have been so bad…"

"What were you doing down there?" Zen asked. He suddenly could not forget how black M.C.'s eyes are.

"I was supposed to scare Yoosung, but I kinda flunked the timing." He shrugged it off and turned to M.C., "You okay? Did you hurt your back?" he patted her shoulders.

The girl snorted and waved off his hands, "I'm fine, Seven. Stop touching me."

"You know, for someone who hates being touched, you actually do it a lot."

M.C. blinked at him, "I do?" she brought up a hand to scratch at her temple. Seeing the black and orange sleeve made her look down at herself, realizing she was still wearing his jacket. She shrugged it off, patted it off of dust and handed it to the hacker. "Oh, here. Sorry I forgot to return it earlier."

Seven sighed and took it from her. V smirked, "Disappointed, are we?"

"No!" the ginger said indignantly. He put the jacket inside a paper bag and crossed his arms, "It wasn't her style anyway."

"Then why are your ears so red and—"

"Meh-aaha-gaaaah—hiiiaaaah—baa!"

M.C. smacked him. "What the hell?"

Yoosung and Zen laughed at him. And M.C. smacked them too. "Stop provoking him! Goodness what are you guys, kindergarteners?!"

Jumin poked at her cheek. Once. Twice. Thrice. _What the—_

"I read somewhere that poking a girl's cheek will get them to immediately shut up."

V snickered, "Well, so does kissing, you know. Jumin, why don't you—"

M.C. smacked them both, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU PEOPLE ARE CRAZY IMPOSSIBLE! YOU KNOW THAT?!"

"Poking her cheek didn't work."

"Why don't you try kissing her then?"

"Great! You only made her angrier!"

"Woah?! WHAT? Nobody's kissing anyone!"

"Why are we suddenly talking about this?"

"OKAY!"

They all turned to a frazzled Jaehee. She dragged a fuming M.C. off, "Let's head on to the cashier to pay, then. We still have to do groceries in order to complete your list, don't we?"

And at that, the beast instantly calmed down. She beamed at Jaehee, "You're right! We must complete all of it!"

The two women headed to the cashier, talking about lists.

The males hesitantly trailed behind.

Zen mumbled, "I never knew girls can be so scary."

Yoosung whispered, "Their moods are scary."

Seven whispered, "Kissing them is scary."

V shrugged, "Your thoughts are scary."

Jumin scoffed, "This conversation is scaring the shit out of me. All of you shut up."

* * *

M.C. grabbed the push carts and turned to the RFA, "Okay. It's a Saturday today and already past six in the evening. The line to the cashiers are going to go for miles and so I say we split up and just get this over with. Gather around!"

They certainly look stupid all huddled up like that.

But M.C. just really wanted to go back to the house and eat candy.

"Alright, guys. I have in my hands—"

"List Number 4, isn't it?"

M.C. gave a blank look at Zen.

"You want to take my place as commander, sergeant? Why are you speaking up when I am talking?"

The albino gulped, "Okay! Sorry, I just—"

"Anyway," she dragged out the word as she went back to her list.

Seven clutched his stomach from snickering at Zen's pale face. "Cut it out! That was scary as hell!" the actor fiercely whispered.

M.C. ripped the list into three neat sections and handed the piece to V, Jumin and Jaehee.

When Seven whined about not getting a piece, M.C. looked at him, "What? And have you pick at anything at random? Not gonna happen, bro." she turned to all of them, "I handed the pieces to you guys because you're the _eldest,_ and I expect you people to get it done ASAP—"

"You're seriously bossing us around?"

"You're seriously interrupting me?"

V elbowed Jumin, "Please continue, commander."

M.C. gave them a dirty look before continuing, "—the list is divided into food, hygienic and home necessities. I divided it into three as distributed to you guys and—"

"So who gets to go with who?"

M.C. stared at Yoosung, "Really, sergeant? Again? You want to speak instead?"

"No, ma'am. Sorry…"

She huffed, "Jumin and Zen get the food, Jaehee and Seven get the hygienic stuff, then V and Yoosung get the other home necessities, since—"

"What?"

"No, I can't go with that jerk."

"Yey! I get to bond with the robot!"

"No, please reconsider."

"Seriously?"

"I don't think—"

"OH MY GODS YOU'RE SERIOUSLY INTERRUPTING ME AGAIN?!"

They winced and quieted down. M.C. glared at them before taking a deep breath and saying, "It is so because I am smart enough to figure out that you can do this errand way faster just to get away from your respective partners as soon as possible so see ya in half an hour ya suckers!" she laughed evilly before immediately disappearing among the grocery-shopping crowd.

"What a cunning little beast she is."

V sighed tiredly. "There really is nothing we can do about it you know, we are at her mercy still."

Zen scoffed, "Why do we have to follow what she says?"

"'Because she can cause me physical harm, and that's not good for my health'." Yoosung mocked him in his exaggerated imitating deep voice. The actor scowled at him, giving the blond a smack in the head.

Seven sniggered. "Heed your own words, my man!" he grinned and wrapped an arm around Jaehee's shoulders, "While you men do your thing, the robot and I shall follow through with the commander's instructions!"

Jaehee's brow ticked. "Get your arms of me, Seven."

"And so she speaks! Come my beautiful robot and let's win this errand!" he squealed and dragged a sick-looking Jaehee off.

"This isn't even a competition!" Yoosung called out before he deflated. He grudgingly turned to V, who gave him an apologetic smile. "Well, if Seven and Jaehee can do it, then so can we!" he sniffed haughtily before grabbing the cart from V's hands, "Lead the way, old man."

Zen and Jumin stared at their retreating backs, "I feel the most sorry for the two of them. M.C. is one crazy minx to do that."

"I actually pity Assistant Kang, but it's not like I am any better." The heir gave him an unimpressed head-to-toe look.

Zen cringed, "Oh gods you just checked me out!"

"Don't flatter yourself."

The albino rubbed at his face multiple times before grabbing their own cart, "Whatever. Let's just get this over with!"

 _Damn. She's right._

* * *

A few minutes found the first pair at the personal hygiene section.

Seven was staring at the two packs in his hands with utmost concentration.

Jaehee wished she can just go crawl up in a hole somewhere and die.

Or the ginger can just magically combust at that instant.

 _Bad thoughts, Jaehee._

She sighed, "Seven— _Luciel,_ please just let it go."

"Hmm…" The hacker ignored her and continued inspecting the two items in his hands.

"For the love of—Seven! You've been staring at those for ten minutes now!" she cleared her throat when a shopper gave them weird looks. "Are you not the least bit embarrassed of what you are doing? Because I am!"

Seven snapped out of his obviously feigned ignorance and turned to her, "Oh? Sorry Jaehee! I didn't hear you!"

"Sure you didn't." the brunette scoffed.

The hacker grinned and held up the packs in front of her, "I'm just so impressed because there's so many kinds and sizes to choose from!" he exclaimed loudly.

Jaehee's ears turned red and she furiously grabbed the packs of feminine napkins from his hold and dumped it into their cart.

Seven laughed at the brunette and the other women in the aisle looked over at him. He merely grinned and gave them a playful wink. "Sorry, sorry! Just helping my big sister with her shopping!" being a few centimeters taller, he easily patted the brunette's head. "She's so embarrassed that I insisted to come with her." He messed up her hair.

The girls giggled back. One middle-aged shopper commented, "How adorable of you to help your sister! Most young men are embarrassed to even go here, you know?"

"Just being the responsible brother that my sister deserves, ma'am!"

The girls chuckled at him. "How cute."

Jaehee snorted. ' _Cute' is not a word I would ever associate with this guy._

She groaned into her hands.

 _Fine, two can play this game._

Jaehee removed her hands from her face, a small smile formed at her lips.

Seven felt shivers run down to his spine.

The brunette grinned bashfully at the women. "I apologize, my brother is quite loud." She turned to him, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face, "I'll make sure _mother knows_ how you helped me with this, little brother!"

Seven has a frozen smile on his face. "N-no need to do that, big sis! This can be our little secret, right?" his voice shakes.

"Oh, come on now. I know how you just crave for _mother's affections,_ I'll make sure she knows how you helped me and made those young girls laugh, too. She will be thrilled!"

Jaehee smiled at the other women before yanking Seven's ear, seemingly playful but actually painful. "Let's go find her then!" she dragged him off, the small laughter and giggles of the women left behind.

When they were two aisles over, Jaehee gave another pull before letting go. Seven grabbed at his reddened ear, "That was evil Jaehee! Pure evil!" he cried.

The brunette crossed her arms, "No, that was pure embarrassment. Utter humiliation."

Seven sniffed, "I can't help it that I was impressed by these," he held a pack of feminine napkins up. Jaehee grabbed at it and shoved it back to the cart. "I was curious! I am bound to ask a lot of questions."

"Well if you are that curious, why don't you ask M.C. then?" she smirked at him.

Seven scowled at her, "That evil look? Doesn't match you at all, noona. Stop scaring me!"

"Stop embarrassing me!" she sighed, "Now those women will think I am related to you. Just fantastic."

The hacker shifted his eyes away from her and to the bottles of shampoo in front of them. "Ouch, Jaehee. You make it sound like it's a bad thing." His voice turned silent. The hacker grabbed at one and inspected its contents.

The chief assistant blinked a few times and looked at him, the change of demeanor surprising her. "Oh. Uhm, no. Just…"

 _Great Jaehee. Stop being evil when you can't even pull it off._

"I just don't think I am awesomely-awesome enough to be related to your awesomely-awesome self, that's all." She mumbled. _I can't believe I just said that._ She looked embarrassingly up at him.

It was Seven's turn to blink down at her, wide eyes and mouth slightly open. He then grinned at her, "Is that so then?"

"Yeah. You are that awesome." She snorted.

The ginger laughed, "You are quite fun, Jaehee! We really should hang out more often!" he ruffled her hair.

"Oh gods, please no." she chuckled before clearing her throat, "We should get shampoos and soaps next, as stated in M.C.'s list."

"Alrighty!" then he grinned manically, "Let's get flower-scented shampoos for everyone!"

Jaehee was about to protest before she caught herself and shrugged "You know, what? Whatever. Why not? Let's all smell like flowers for our stay here. Mr. Han can certainly use the feminine touch, that's for sure." She grabbed a few varying high-end floral shampoo bottles and put them on the cart.

Seven positively beamed at her, "You are getting cooler by the minute!" he took in a breath. "Since you have been quite honest about my awesomeness, allow me to share something with you." He pushed the cart towards the body wash and soap section.

"Oh no, you don't have to. Really." The brunette cringed as she took a few boxes of germ-killing soap bars.

Seven added three bottles of body wash to their things, "I have a brother actually."

She blinked, "Oh?" _How intelligent, Jaehee._

"Yeah. Oh. Well, he's not as awesome and good-looking as I am, but he was quite adorable as a kid. He's living happily now. So that's that!" he blinked wistfully. Then he turned back to her, "Well that's my mush for the day."

"Is this for the sake of the Eleventh Day Target?"

"Wow, you remember that too!" Seven whistled, "I take the plain robot back, you are one hell of an android!" he scratched at his cheek, "And yeah, maybe. But I don't mind sharing a bit now. Since…I think I'm not on surveillance here or anything."

"Surveillance? Does this have something to do with your job?" she asked as they headed to facial care.

"Yeah, something like that." the hacker got some shaving cream. "Enough about the amazing that is me, your turn big sis."

Jaehee shook her head, "My parents are gone long ago and I spend most of my time working." She gave him a skeptical look, "I'm pretty sure you know about that already."

Seven shrugged his shoulders, "I don't dig for any information unless necessary. I know how important privacy is."

"Well, I don't have any mush on me. So yeah." She gave him a big smile, "Though I am quite stunned that you decided to share something about yourself to me."

"I am a bit surprised too. But I guess this is what M.C. meant by being honest and all that crap." He shrugged, "It may be our way of going home." He laughed shakily, "That was quite hard. Never thought I'd speak about him to you of all people, in a grocery store of another dimension of all places."

Jaehee hesitantly patted him on the back, "You did well, Seven."

"I did pretty awesome, didn't I?"

"Yeah. Sure. Let's get this back to the commander."

The hacker brightened and reached for a bottle in the cart, "Oh! Speaking of our dearest, I got jasmine-scented shampoo for myself since M.C. seems to like that particular smell."

Jaehee gave him funny look, "You like her that much?"

"Maybe if I smell good, she'll hit me less."

"Maybe if you stop messing around, she'll hit you less."

"And stop the awesomeness that is me? Nah. I'd rather take the punch."

* * *

Eight aisles away from the pretend-siblings was probably the most awkward pair out of the three.

Yoosung sighed. _Isn't this just a tad bit too cruel?_ He turned back to his companion, who was carefully maneuvering the cart among the people. The blonde called out, "Hey, you want me to do that instead?"

V looked at him and gave a small smile. "Its fine, Yoosung. You are already with the list, I'd be completely useless if even you would be the one to push the cart around."

"Oh. Okay…"

Another awkward silence.

They both cringed.

"So what's next?" V called out.

Yoosung blinked and looked at the paper that M.C. handed to them, "We need dishwashing soaps—the liquid kind, it says—and laundry detergents—the powdered ones in packs—next." He looked at the aisle signs, "It says it's straight ahead."

The photographer nodded and proceeded to push their cart through. M.C. was right. There were now quite the number of people doing their own grocery shopping.

He ended up bumping his cart to another. "Hey! Watch it!" the older man snarled. He ended up dropping a box of whatever it was that he was holding.

V bowed his head, "Oh! I apologize, sir. I wasn't—"

"Pay more attention to where you're pushing that thing!" he sniffed, "Do you mind picking that up? You made me drop it in the first place."

The photographer took a deep breath before nodding, "Of course, sir. I apologize. Let me—"

Someone grabbed at his arm.

V turned to him, "Yoosung—"

The blonde glared at the middle-aged man, "No need to be rude! He already apologized. Twice!" Yoosung pointed to the man's cart. "And it was your cart that was on the way!"

The older man's nostrils flared. Yoosung would have laughed if only he wasn't so riled up. "Why you little bast—"

V shoved the box—it turns out to be baking soda—gently but firmly at the older man's chest. "Here is your box, sir. I apologize for bumping your cart, but please be mindful also of where you are going and what you are saying." He tilted his head to the two small figures behind him, "I am positive that you do not want your children hearing anything unpleasant. And we would very much want to avoid getting in a scene."

He bowed before grabbing the cart. "Let's go." He smiled calmly at the blonde before walking off.

Yoosung gave a small nod at the older man and proceeded to follow the photographer.

They reached the aisle with dishwashing liquid and detergents and slowed down. The blonde student went in front of him and sighed, "How can you handle that so coolly?"

V adjusted his sunglasses and grabbed a bottle from the shelf, "We can't afford to get caught in a scene. M.C. would find out and she would probably cause a bigger scene." He chuckled and handed him the bottle of dishwashing liquid.

"I want to get so mad at you right now." Yoosung clenched his fists. "I want to hit you with this real bad."

"Probably not a good idea, Yoosung. M.C. would—"

"Stop!" the blonde cried out. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I want to hate you."

"…I know."

"But I can't." The student narrowed his eyes at him, "I can get pissed and annoyed but I just can't hate you."

V sighed as he pushed the cart to the next shelf. "What do you want me to do?"

"Answer me! What really happened to Rika? And what—"

"Oh, excuse me, young man. Do you mind handing me that sachet over there?"

V and Yoosung turned to an old woman smiling up at them.

The photographer blinked before smiling at the elderly, "Sure thing, ma'am." He reached for a blue sachet that the old lady was pointing to and handed it to her.

"Oh, thank you so much! Such nice men you are." She chuckled fondly at them before strolling off.

Yoosung blinked. "Right…uh, where was I?"

"Rika cherished you so much. And I know that you love her dearly. But please, Yoosung—"

"No more of that 'Please, Yoosung' crap! I just want to know the truth!"

V pursed his lips, "The truth is that Rika is dead. The Rika that we love is no longer with us."

"But why would she—"

"Does it even matter now, Yoosung?" V asked him tiredly. "Do you want to dirty your remaining happy memories of her just because you can't let her go?"

Yoosung gulped, his eyes glassy. "I just want to know the truth, V. She was my family…she understood me so well, and made a lot of people so happy that she can't just—I can't—" he gasped and wiped furiously at his tears. "I asked…I asked my aunt and uncle. They told me she was—that she—"

V looked at him, eyes wide. "You…"

The blonde had his head down and sobbed, "After she died…the grief was too much. I want—need to feel her presence, and so I asked my aunt and uncle everything about her. They—they would just tell me the things that I already know at first, but I insisted on knowing more until my aunt finally got fed up with me and—and it…sort of slipped out.

"She had been horrified that she let it slip…and then she broke down, and she—she told me how Rika was adopted and that she sometimes would have—have strange moments—and that…that they thought she has some sort of mental condition and she began saying stuff about her that my uncle had to drag her off and send me out...

"I—I didn't understand at first. I—I spent weeks locked up in my room…I didn't want to believe it because she was so—so happy and bright and—"

Yoosung cried as he shuffled through bottles of liquid detergent. He grabbed a rainbow –colored bottle and put it in the cart. _Damn rainbows and their stupid colors._

V took a deep shaky breath. "Rika was mentally ill, Yoosung." He bit his lip, "She suffered depression, paranoia and hallucinations."

"I assumed and yet—it just seems so absurd, you know? She had seemed fine, but then again…I mean—why didn't…why didn't she tell me? I thought we were—that we…" The blonde cried harder.

A firm hand on his shoulder made him look up to V's face. He can see tear marks along both sides of his cheeks. V quietly said, "She…wanted to handle it on her own, Yoosung. Please understand that. She loved you. She really did. Please don't think so otherwise." He sighed and gripped the student's shoulder, "Rika…she had another world of her own."

"…How long have you known?"

"A few months after we started dating. Even Jumin does not know yet, but I think he's had his suspicions. Rika wasn't exactly…herself anymore after the second party." V reached into his pocket and handed Yoosung a handkerchief.

The student took it from him and wiped at his tears. "Ugh…I hate crying. Makes me feel like a kid." He snuck a look at V, who removed his sunglasses and was wiping his face with his sleeves. _Always the selfless one, this guy._ The photographer blinked his red-rimmed eyes.

Yoosung's eyes widened, "V…your eyes, did she—?" he gasped.

The blue-haired man's wince didn't go unnoticed by the blonde. "It wasn't exactly…she was just—"

"She did." Yoosung swallowed hard. "I don't—I don't think it can excuse anything. She—she hurt you then."

The photographer merely bowed his head. "I didn't want you to know this way."

Their youngest chuckled humorlessly, "Yeah, well…nothing ever really goes as planned." He clenched his fists as he pursed his lips. "Thanks…for telling me a few things, at least. I…I really needed that."

V dried his eyes before turning to him, a gratified look on his otherwise worn-out handsome face. "I…I am so proud of you, Yoosung. You took this better than I would have expected. I didn't know how to tell you most of all because…"

"Because I was a baby. And overtly sensitive." Yoosung sniffed. "I think deep down…maybe I had been expecting it. I just…didn't want to acknowledge that there was something wrong. I didn't want to taint her happy and bright memories."

"I'm sorry."

The blonde snorted, "Your apologies can get really tiring now." He rubbed at the back of his neck, "Besides…I sort of talked to M.C. earlier a bit about this, too. I guess that really helped. She…she's really something."

"That's one more thing to thank her for then."

Yoosung pushed the cart this time, "She probably knows all of this, huh?" V only nodded as he went back to checking the shelves out for fabric conditioners. "She probably does." _And more. Much more than even what I probably know._ "Though I would guess that she doesn't know that you've had a clue about it for a while now. She probably would have talked to you herself if she knew."

"Now that I think about it, you two…you're sort of alike in some aspects."

"I don't remember having slapped you."

Yoosung snorted, "Don't try to be funny, V."

The photographer gave a small grin before squinting at the list.

 _First aid kit, check._

 _Insect and rodent repellants, check._

 _Shoe shine, check._

 _Floor wax, check._

 _Sponges, check._

 _Wash brushes, check._

 _Scented room spray, check._

 _Disinfectants, check._

 _Scented candles, check._

 _Dishwashing soap, check._

 _Laundry detergents, che—_

V blinked. "You took the wrong bottle."

"Huh?"

"We don't need liquid detergent. I think you mentioned laundry detergent, like the powder kind."

"Oh. Sorry."

…

"Good thing, I guess. Those rainbow colors are giving me a headache. I think your eyesight is getting better!"

"You think so?" V beamed as he sat the bottle back at the shelf and proceeded to push the cart this time.

Yoosung was about to follow him when he felt something hit his head.

"Ow!" he groaned quietly, then glared at the fallen object on the floor.

It was the rainbow-colored bottle of liquid detergent, its contents spilling on the floor.

 _Oh, V._

Yoosung gulped and immediately dashed off.

* * *

And on the other side of the grocery store, the often-arguing duo were found, well—bickering.

"This looks like the good—no, the best kind."

"Just because it's wrapped all nicely, doesn't mean it's the best kind."

"And why not? It is more expensive too."

"Probably because it's wrapped all nicely and not because of the product itself."

"Why afford to wrap a product nicely if it is not guaranteed to be the best?"

"Maybe it's to make clueless jerks like you think it is the best when it really is not!"

"If we both do not know about this product, then doesn't that make the two of us clueless jerks?"

Zen groaned loudly. _M.C. dearest, are you really trying to punish me?_ "You are a businessman, right? Aren't you supposed to know all that crap they do to sell stuff?"

Jumin scoffed. "Business has a huge field. C&R offers the best wrapped in the best. I am different from the frauds that you are probably referring to."

"Whatever. You're all the same anyway, only after money and all that." The albino scowled at him and grabbed for the bottle of soy sauce beside the one they were arguing about. "And M.C. insisted on this brand by the way, so too bad for you."

"Why didn't you just say so in the first place?" the heir sighed. "You just wasted my breath on a useless conversation. Again."

Zen glared at him, "Then why do you keep talking? Just shut up!"

"It's because you keep insisting on wrong things that it I feel the need to correct it."

"Wrong? Just because I picked the less expensive kind, that makes it wrong?!"

Jumin looked at him confusedly, "No. Because you keep assuming incorrect things about me."

The musical actor scoffed. "Yeah, right. Let's see…You are an emotionless jerk that lives the rich life and thinks that money can take care of anything. Tell me, is there anything false about you in that statement?"

"You are actually right on that one. I commend you."

Zen growled, "Damn it! You're not even taking me seriously!" he walked off to get tomato sauce next.

Jumin followed him. "I already said you are right. What are you on about now?" he crossed his arms as he kept pace with the albino. "And you can't possibly think of leaving me."

A few women spared them glances. A pair of pretty females passed and looked at them sadly. The two men heard the short-haired one whisper to her companion, "Such a shame, they both are hot though."

"I know, right? Good-looking men have the bigger chance with other good-looking men now more than we do."

The two females gave them one last sad look before going on with their own shopping.

Zen twitched while Jumin blinked confusingly. "Argh! Now they think we're together! This is just—gah!" the albino wiped furiously at his face before glaring at him.

The raven-head tilted his head, "I fail to see how they came to that conclusion."

"You may be smart in the corporate would, but man, you totally suck in the emotional department."

"Emotions do not matter to me. They are a waste of my time."

Zen's glare turned vicious, "Well, they matter a lot to me. They mean everything to my career and what I love to do. So thank you again for belittling that and proving to me how much of a jerk you really are." He passed by the heir and shoved Jumin's shoulder with his own.

That probably did the trick for Jumin, because he made a grab for the actor's shoulder, who turned around with a glare firmly set on his face. Jumin just stared back, "I am not belittling what you do, Zen. I only just stated that those things do not matter to me because I have no use of them. It does not mean that I am mocking that you value it so much."

"Well it should matter!" the albino exclaimed. "Emotions and all that shit matter because that's how you sympathize with a person!"

Jumin only blankly gazed at him. Zen groaned out before shrugging off the raven-head's hand from his shoulder. Before he can say anything else though, the heir spoke, "It seems to me…that you are talking to someone else."

"Yeah, okay, you got me Mr. Know-it-all," Zen gave him a dirty look, "I'm going to say this for the sake of M.C.'s let-us-be-honest-crap and tell you that you remind me—" he took in a sharp breath before looking away. "It's just…you remind me of—someone from the past."

"…Your family?" Jumin asked. He then gestured to the list that Zen was holding.

The actor blinked. _Next is flour and baking soda._ He walked off, the heir following him. It was when they reached the baking supplies section that he mumbled, "Yeah. My family. My parents. My brother." He grabbed a box of flour from the shelf and placed it on the cart that Jumin was pushing. "Go on, mock me and my emotional attachment to the past. I'm waiting." He crossed his arms.

"I have no intention to do such a thing." Jumin replied as he maneuvered the cart along the aisle, the albino following this time. "You have a different past from mine, so it is only understandable that we are different. But you should know that I do not see that as a bad thing. I only want to help you—you and the other RFA members. It just confuses me as to why you antagonize me all the time." He shrugged his shoulders. "There are times that I think we are merely bickering like what children do, when in reality, you are actually taking what I say too seriously."

The musical actor scoffed, "How can I not? You say things with the same face and tone!" he sighed, "I couldn't tell if you were joking or actually mocking me or something. But…I guess my bias always had me leaning on you antagonizing me." He grabbed a box of baking soda this time and handed it to the heir.

"We have a lot of contrasting qualities Zen, I think it is only normal for the two of us to quarrel all of the time." Jumin looked at him then, "But know that the RFA is very important to me. No matter the problems, issues or differences, I will do what I can to help and provide any form of assistance. You are not merely pawns to me—what we have in the RFA is more valuable than any other material riches out there."

The albino blinked before nodding slowly. "Yeah…okay. Hearing you say that eases me off a bit, I guess." He scoffed, "Well, I've reached my mush-limit for the day. Let's stop here, yeah? Wouldn't want you to self-combust of feelings and emotions now, M.C. would kill me for causing a mess."

Another group of girls passes them by, giving them longing looks. Zen gave a small smile their way. Jumin didn't batt an eyelash.

The girls swooned at them anyway.

Jumin scoffed, "If M.C were here, she would have made a rather unpleasant face at you or something."

"Excuse me?"

They both turned to a beautiful brunette girl, who beamed at them. "Do you mind if I take picture with both of you?" she waved her phone and blushed prettily at them.

"Well—"

"Yes, we do mind."

Zen gave him a small glare before smiling apologetically at the girl, "Sorry about my companion here, cutie. But I'm afraid we can't take a picture right now. You see…our baby sister is a bit upset at us right now, and having to take a picture with a pretty girl like you would probably anger her more." He sighed dramatically. "We love her so much that we would not want to upset her any further so…"

"Oh! I get it! It's completely fine." The girl blinked her eyes at him, "I think it is so sweet for you and your brother. Your sister is so lucky!"

"Our lovely baby sister easily gets jealous. We hope you understand." Jumin says it blankly that it is hardly convincing.

But it's probably because he's tall, dark and handsome that the girl merely chuckles and nodded her head, "Alright, some other time then? I hope we bump into each other soon, oppas!" she blew them a kiss before walking away.

Zen waved until the girl turned the corner. "Girls here are a bit bold here, aren't they?" he sighed, "That one was cute, too."

Jumin merely shook his head at him before gesturing to the list, "Are we quite done on the little sister's list?"

The albino blinked before checking again. He nodded after a short while, "Yeah. I say we find her and get out of each other's hair."

"Yes. This alone time is making me cringe."

* * *

Seven and Jaehee passed by eight different groups composed of both girls and guys, who were all mumbling about two hot Korean men together being both a turn-on and an opportunity wasted at the same time.

Jaehee turned pale, Seven looked scandalized. They both looked at each before bursting out into uncontrollable laughter. The tension between the two men can be confusing at times.

Yoosung and V passed by the female hygiene section, overhearing a mother scolding her husband and son—she compared them to an adorable red-headed man helping his brunette sister pick out feminine napkins.

V cringed at 'adorable red-head'. Yoosung blinked confusingly at 'brunette sister'. And they both chortled on 'feminine napkins'. They cannot say what impressed them more, the brunette's patience or the ginger's lack of self-preservation.

Zen and Jumin received a menacing glare form an aging man, who bumped to their cart with his.

Jumin merely pushed the cart back. Zen just cooed at the two children behind the old man. They were both too proud to give a damn about how rude he was…or how soapy he smelt like. At least that's one thing they had in common.

Now, where was M.C.?

* * *

 **A/N:** Thus, the complicated part. The approach to their problems had me thinking for days, and I only hope the way I wrote it is acceptable. I had a hard time writing it, since the response of the characters actually vary depending on the route taken. But I did my best, and hopefully, the path this story will take can do the characters justice.

Don't know when I get to update again, so I'll see you when that time happens! If there is anything you guys are confused with or curious about, please let me know.

Until next time!

And to:

 **erunee**

Thank you very much! I'm waiting for myself to post an update too. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one as well.

 **Kurama 2004**

Oh really? What do you think of the game then? I actually thought it real unique, as the story had so many twists and drama. The complicated plot was what actually piqued me and my friend's interest on the game. It would have been a lovely idea, though a lot of work would be put into it. But the game is rather interesting and good as it is, since it got a lot of players.

I apologize if I had replied late regarding your geography assignment, I haven't had much time to check my account lately. Did you receive my private message? And how was your report though? Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this update as well.

 **Mercedes1312**

M.C. is rather brash, isn't she? I have a friend who is somehow like that, and I love riling her off because she is actually a softie on the inside. Anyway, I'm glad you think so! Let me know what you think about this one too, if it is not such a bother. Thanks a lot.

 **BeautifulyCool**

Thanks for thinking so! Yeah I get what you mean. The WiFi signal at our dorm sucks so I had to go to my friend's dorm's just to get work done. That's cool, at least you got someone to talk about your interests to. I hope she can read the stories you can recommend for her soon. I guess you are incredibly busy as well, I actually look up to how you manage your classes. I suck at those things since I am not happy with school at the moment. I wish you good luck on your stories and I thank you endlessly for your support!

* * *

 _Salamat po!_ (Thank you!)


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Happy Halloween guys!

I apologize for the late upload, I was catching up on schoolwork, and I only had time now because of the semester break. Though I hope this chapter makes up for it.

Thank you for the views, favorites, follows, reviews and those who continue to support this story!

Warning for some spoilers, and Rated T for language, thoughts and actions.

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 15: In which M.C. tires  
**_

* * *

M.C. took a peek at the chip aisle of the grocery store before breathing a sigh of relief.

Yes, she was avoiding RFA.

For now at least.

She did not include chips or candy in any of their lists anyway, so after making sure they were not in the vicinity, she proceeded to maneuver through the people and grab some of the snacks. Since she was carrying a basket, she can move easily through the crowd and carts.

M.C. felt a bit bad about leaving them like that, but she needed a few minutes to herself. She needed to think about what was happening, and she cannot seem to do that properly when the RFA are always at her.

It was perturbing how they are all able to handle things so far. Aside from the small dispute in KFC two days ago, the RFA seemed to take their situation quite calmly. They accepted what she explained, and immediately came up with what to do the day after.

Now on their third day and they were almost done shopping for their necessities. By night time, Seven would probably start to weed themselves in through the systems, and have them all perfectly ingrained in all the computers even before the next day.

It was impressive how they can come up with things they needed to do and get it done right after.

But it was worrying how easy it all seems to be.

And there was still the fact that they still do not know how they got there, and why.

How do you explain suddenly appearing in a parallel dimension where you were known as a freaking game character?

If that was her, she thought, she probably would have panicked. Immensely. Then not talk to anyone for a few days even under intense interrogation before finally bursting out in hysteria. A few moments to breathe and calm down, and only then can she think properly about the predicament.

Disregarding her outburst earlier, it also confused her how easily she, herself, is taking the situation.

Which is why she needs her me-time. Away from the annoying antics of RFA.

The girl groaned as she rubbed at her lower back. She then grabbed two packs each of _V-Cut_ and _Tostillas_ from the shelf. The whole of the situation—that the RFA are here and just going around grocery shopping like nobody's business—was just starting to sink in. She was too physically tired on her first night and too emotionally drained on her second—things are looking a complete level of incredulous right now that she was alone with her thoughts.

M.C. turned and bumped lightly into a stranger. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled. The girl merely nodded at her and continued talking to her companion, "…they were both so cute. This guy was so dark and serious and his boyfriend was all white and playful and…"

The architecture student's stifled laughter went through the wrong windpipe.

 _I must look like a complete moron, choking on my own breath_. She thought as she coughed the air back. She bowed her head and walked further along the aisle.

M.C. was not stupid—not entirely, at least in her opinion—and has a hunch that RFA is here now because of her. She was the one that did found them, after all.

The girl is quite sure that every person who played the game would have—in at least one moment—wished they could get the chance to meet the RFA—even just one member. Be transported in their world and shake their hand or something. She admits she got curious as to what it will be like if she was in the same world as these characters.

But they weren't the only characters that she wished to meet.

She wished she had ninja abilities and have Hatake Kakashi be her mentor. She wished she could get tennis lessons from Fuji Syusuke in her first years of high school. She wished she could randomly appear in Area 11 and slap the truth on Lelouch vi Britannia's face. She wished she had a shaman so she can somehow join Asakura Yoh's team.

She wished for all of it to happen, even more desperately so than meeting RFA.

But it did not happen then.

 _So why her? Why now?_

The fact the she was the one who found RFA makes her more anxious. If they really are here for her then it can be two things; there was something wrong with them that she can help with, or something wrong with her that she needed theirs.

Both ideas bothered her all the same.

It was not only a few days ago that she was living normally, and only worrying about her apprenticeship and upcoming thesis—which is a normal thing for a student such as herself.

That was not anything serious or life-threatening whatsoever.

 _So why her? And why now?_

She has been through other shitty things now, but those were normal shitty things—experiencing heartache, having being alone, living penniless for a few days, eating off of instant noodles, fear off failing a few subjects, being subjected to criticism and pressure—it may be horrible for her, sure, but everybody experiences that, right? And she had come through, didn't she?

Her family was doing fine and healthy. Her friends are going through the same shitty things that she did—nothing too serious. Her grades last semester turned out fine, and aside from the daily mishaps, work was going quite smoothly. Her non-existent boyfriend is having the time of his life. And the traffic even seemed lighter now!

 _So why her? Why now?_

She did not have any dark past or background story. Her parents do not have any other families. No friendship drama. Love life is non-existent. She did not experience severe childhood accident nor trauma, and no serious mental illness detected either.

M.C. is the youngest daughter of a happy family. M.C. is a member of a small church organization that smiles at everybody. M.C. is that girl who always has a candy in her bag. M.C. is the friend who talks to you from time-to-time. M.C. is the girl in class who is sometimes present but not always absent either.

M.C. is that person who is always just there. For all her twenty years.

 _So why her? Why now?_

The thought of an impending _something_ soon buried itself in the depths of her mind.

M.C. is also that girl who looks forward to the main character.

But Mariel Cecilie is that normal girl who never wants to be the main character.

Because being the main character means having to face a conflict—a conflict heavy and worthy enough to be given a damn story.

And being the main character does not always mean you get to be the hero.

She is scared and panicked and anxious that this situation may be her conflict—the conflict that will surely change so much things in her life.

Good or bad, still questionable.

Three days in and the RFA is already getting on her nerves. It is only a matter of time before they…

She needs to find a way for them to get back.

Not only for her sake, but theirs. With what has already happened now, they can change their lives when they get back. It would not have to be as bittersweet and tragic as the game.

If it was even game in the first place.

M.C. snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone clear their throat. She turned to find an old grumpy man glaring at her. She glared back of course.

"You mind moving out of the way, lady? Just pick a chip already so I can shop for mine!" the man growled.

"Chips are bad for you old man!" she sniffed. Strangely, the old man smelled something like soap.

"Daddy, you should really work on your attitude."

"Yeah, that's the third time today!"

M.C. blinked at the two children behind his back. _Aw, so cute._ The old man sighed and grumbled his apologies. The girl just nodded hesitantly. They passed by her and heard him mumble, "Teenagers and their wild hair color and snappy attitude..."

The girl internally groaned. _Grumpy old man probably got grumpier because of those buffoons._

Speaking of weird-color-haired buffoons…

She really needs to figure out what to do with RFA. Eleven Day Mark or Project Stay Longer—was that even right?—they will get back.

 _They will go back._

 _Keep yourself in the line._

 _Because they will go back._

She took a deep breath and headed to the shelf containing candy. M.C. passed by a couple of girls shopping for snacks and sweets, "…I wish my boyfriend was like that redhead earlier. He was so sweet!" Her friend replied, "I wish I was as beautiful as his sister, have you seen how luscious her brown hair was?"

M.C. scrunched her brows and wrinkled her nose. _Do I even want to know? And why is everybody talking about them?!_

She sighed before grabbing a pack of _Frutos_ and another of _Wiggles_ before heading to the cashiers. The line was already fairly long enough, and having checked at her watch, it will only be a matter of time before the RFA will be done with their lists.

M.C. could only hope that they did not end up murdering each other before dinner time.

* * *

M.C. was looking blankly ahead when she was poked at her cheek. She slapped the hand of the culprit away and sighed.

It was a good thing she fell in line immediately because by the time RFA had arrived, she was third in line and already had six people behind her.

She turned to see the Zen and Jumin looking down at her.

She blinked and mock-gasped. "Oh? You guys are still here, after all!" M.C. gave them a blank look, "Almost forgot since it took you this long."

"Don't be like that, M.C. We've been here for minutes now!" Zen sighed, "You know how unfamiliar we are with the place. And I'm still having a bit trouble reading through the letters and such." He leaned in, "Not to mention being with this jerk here just took a toll out of me."

M.C. pushed him lightly and placed her basket inside their cart. "Yeah, whatever." She grabbed the rail from Jumin and placed the cart in the line.

"Are you alright, M.C.?" the heir asked when the girl just brushed them off aside.

"Peachy."

The two men shared a look before shrugging. "You seem a bit pale." The heir commented.

"And you seem a bit nosy."

Jumin blinked. Zen tilted his head, "Hey, is something wrong?"

M.C. just huffed as she rearranged the items in the cart. "I don't know. You tell me."

The actor's brow twitched. "What the hell? Why are you snarky all of a sudden?"

The girl turned to them with a fierce glare. "Shut up, will you? The crowd is already at the tipping point of their patience and your whining is not helping anyone." she gave a brief glance at the people lined up, to find them staring at the pair curiously.

"Wha—"

Jumin grabbed the albino's shoulder. "Stop, Zen. The girl obviously has something bugging her." The heir crossed his arms. "It is unwise to aggravate her further."

The actor took a deep breath. "Tch, whatever." He turned away from M.C. and glared at somewhere else. M.C. stayed quiet and scowling as she moved the items around the cart.

That was how Yoosung and V found them. The tension was thick enough to slice with a knife. The blonde hesitantly asked, "Hey guys…is something wrong?" V placed the cart next to M.C.

Zen shook his head, "Honestly, I have no fucking idea. Ask her." He gestured to the girl who was still looking blankly ahead, a frown in etched in her features.

V looked at her inquiringly. "M.C., here are the things you asked for us to get."

"Move." The girl mumbled. The photographer frowned a bit before moving to stand next to Jumin. M.C. silently transferred the groceries from their cart to the first one.

"Do you need any help?" Yoosung leaned in to grab a bottle but M.C. just grabbed it from him and shook her head, "No. I'll handle it." She placed the bottle in the first cart. "Just stand back there." She gestured to the rest of the RFA.

The blonde pouted before backing off. When M.C. was done, she pushed the cart at the back with the other empty ones left by the customers. She walked back to the line, which moved then, and now had them next to the one at the cashier. The girl set her hands at the cart's railing and tapped her foot restlessly. Otherwise, she remained blank and quiet.

V leaned in to whisper, eyes never leaving M.C., "What did we miss exactly?"

"You and I both wonder." Jumin quipped quietly. "Zen and I just got here and she already lashed out."

"You sure you didn't say anything?" the blonde asked him skeptically. "You do tend to say things that most people misunderstand."

"Not him this time." Zen rubbed at his face. "M.C. already seemed off even before Jumin got to say anything."

M.C. sighed. "I can hear you, you know."

They looked back at her uncertainly, just as Seven and Jaehee arrived. "Aw, we're the last one!" the redhead exclaimed. He pushed their cart next to M.C. and threw his arm around Yoosung's shoulders. "What's up, homeys? Why are your eyes puffy, little brother?"

Yoosung cringed before elbowing him in the gut, "Pipe down! And my eyes are not puffy." The hacker squeaked slightly. "Ow! What was that for?" he narrowed his eyes at the blonde, only to frown confusedly when he gestured to M.C.

Jaehee blinked. "M.C., here is the list. I am sorry it took us a while, we…got distracted along the way."

M.C. took the list from her and nodded, "Yeah, okay." She transferred their carts contents too and placed the now empty cart at the back.

"What's the matter, dearest?" Seven nudged her shoulder.

M.C. frowned at him and pushed his arm away. "Stop that." She grumbled as she adjusted her back pack over her shoulders. She turned to them as she rubbed at her back, "Look, it's already getting crowded here. Just go over there while I pay for these, alright?" she pointed to a few benches situated outside the grocery, where a few people sat, waiting for their companions to finish paying for their respective items. "You will just be in the way there, crowding like that."

Jaehee pursed at her lips, "Are you sure? These are quite a lot."

M.C. just nodded, "I'll just call you after. Go."

The RFA hesitantly looked at each other before walking off to the exit and situated themselves directly across the cashier where M.C. is lined up at. The old couple currently paying at the cashier were now halfway through their groceries. They can see M.C. still with a frown on her face and staring at nothing in particular.

"I know M.C. has always been aggressive, but damn was that just a tad bit too harsh." Seven scratched at the back of his head.

V looked at the girl worriedly, "Did something happen to her? Did we do something wrong? What—"

"V, you're blabbering." Jumin jibed. "Calm yourself."

The photographer bit his lip. "Sorry, it's just…"

"We don't know what happened either." Zen crossed his arms as he pursed his lips. He then rubbed furiously at his temples, "Damn, maybe I shouldn't have poked her cheek."

"You what?" Yoosung turned to him incredulously. "No wonder she's in a bad mood!"

"We were standing there like idiots looking as if we were about to cut in line! The people were already giving us looks." Zen sighed, "I called her out but she didn't budge, I had to get her attention somehow!" he groaned. "Only when I poked her cheek that she actually turned and gave us _something._ Though…I guess it's not a pretty _something._ "

"And I only commented on how pale she seemed to be. Then her snarky comments began." Jumin followed.

Jaehee pushed her glasses back, "Something must have happened while we were away then."

"Do we ask her or what?" Yoosung pouted as he played with the ends of his shirt.

"She can tell us when she wants to. Let's just leave her be for now." Jumin said. He turned to Zen, "I only hope you do not take what she said earlier to heart. People do tend to say things when they are emotional confused."

The actor rolled his eyes, "I won't."

V gave a small chuckle, "Did something happen that we should know of?"

Seven laughed, "We heard a few things while shopping too." Jaehee stifled her chuckle. The hacker stepped in between the heir and the actor and put an arm around each of the two men's shoulders. "How sweet were you two being that the lovely ladies around are getting turned on and turned off at the same time?"

Zen growled and shoved him off. "Shut your yap, Seven! That was just a stupid little misunderstanding!" he scowled and crossed his arms again, "I'm just too good-looking that people keep conjuring up any kind of fantasy about me."

Jumin slapped the hacker's arm off and gave them a blank look. "People tend to be over-imaginative in their thinking." He scoffed, "And the people here are overtly weird and impolite. Is that a commoner thing in the grocery?"

"Just because a few cute girls are talking about you being gay doesn't mean they are rude!" Seven pouted.

They blinked at him.

"It actually kind of does, you know."

"Only if they talk about it in front of you. You only get to know because we told you and therefore you thought so. Otherwise, you would have been completely clueless!" the hacker sniffed haughtily.

Zen shoved him again, "We're straying of topic again, sheesh. And he was probably talking about the grumpy old man we bumped into earlier. He was rather rude."

V and Yoosung shared a look before chuckling.

The rest turned to the both of them.

Seven grinned mischievously. "Well…it seems that Jumin and Zen are not the only ones getting along quite well, are they?"

"You mean that in, like, a brotherly-way, right?"

"Just stop talking."

Yoosung smirked, "Seems like it. Do you call her Jaehee- _noona_ now?" V snickered. "We heard you were quite an adorable little _dongsaeng._ "

Seven and Jaehee scowled. "Hey! Jaehee and I have gotten quite close actually!" he put an arm around the brunette's shoulders this time.

Jaehee cringed and tugged his arm off gently, "Not that close."

Jumin and Zen blinked. "Do we even want to know?"

"No!"

They all sighed and turned back to M.C., who was now setting the groceries along the conveyor belt.

Jaehee walked towards her first and helped. M.C. blinked before frowning. "I told you to—"

"Shush, baby doll. This way, we can get back faster." Zen interrupted as he placed different bottles on the counter. He winked at the cashier, who blushed, and turned back to grabbing the other items.

V smiled at her, "Please let us do this, at least."

The girl scowled at them before grumbling under her breath. "Fine, whatever."

They watched as the cashier scanned the items, and the grocer employee pack them into plastic bags. M.C. pushed the cart outside, and before she could grab any, Jumin silently took hold of the plastic bags and placed them in the cart himself. The girl's brows furrowed as she turned back to the cashier. The final amount appeared in the monitor and M.C. grabbed at her backpack for the money. She bit her lip and looked left and right before getting out the wad of cash.

Seven snorted, "Real smooth, M.C."

Jaehee elbowed him in the ribs. The black-haired girl gave him a dirty look before handing the cash out to the cashier. The employee punched at her cash register, input the money, and handed the change and receipt to M.C. "Thank you ma'am!"

The girl nodded her thanks and pocketed the receipt. They went off to the side after finishing. She made to grab the cart's rail when Yoosung beat her to it. "Let me, M.C. You seem quite tired now." He gave her a small smile.

M.C. looked at them, then her bottom lip trembled.

The RFA balked at the thought of her crying again. And in a public place, no less.

But M.C. only took in a shaky breath "I—I'm sorry. I am so sorry." She bowed her head and stuttered, "I was panicking, and the situation was just getting to me and I just—I apologize. That was really rude of me." She choked out a small laugh. "That was pretty stupid. I'm sorry, I did not mean to be so crass…" she sighed as she fiddled with the strands of her hair. "I'm really, really sorry for snapping at all of you."

M.C. was rubbing at her face when she felt an arm drape across her back, and a hand patting her head. She peaked through her fingers and saw strands of white hair across the culprit's chest. "Shush, dearest. It's alright. Please stop crying."

The girl rolled her eyes, "I'm not." She mumbled through her hands, which are stuck between her face and the man due to his hold.

"Shh. No use denying." Zen smiled as he continued patting her head.

Jumin scowled, "Pretty sure she really isn't crying."

"I really am not." M.C. grumbled.

"Shush you."

Seven squirmed a bit before bursting, "Why are you not punching him for touching you?!" he pointed an accusatory finger at Zen, who grimaced at what he said.

M.C., to everyone's surprise, merely buried her face further into her hands. "…I'm too embarrassed at my outburst earlier. I'm sorry again." She mumbled as she bowed her head more. "Please let go if you find this uncomfortable."

Zen beamed so brightly that even Jumin cringed, and pulled the girl closer. "No way am I letting this pass."

Yoosung gaped. Jumin clicked his tongue. Jaehee pursed her lips. V shook his head. Seven exploded. "NO FAIR!"

The actor ignored them and leaned in to whisper to her, "I am sorry too, for cussing earlier. I get real emotional at times, I didn't mean to curse like that. I'm not usually like that, just so you know."

"No, it's fine. Just forget it. It was my fault in the first place." M.C. huffed, "Still, you expect to get a girlfriend with that mouth?"

The actor smirked. "Well, this mouth can do other wondrous things too, you know."

The girl peeked through her fingers and gave him a blank look. "I am not amused."

The hacker lunged for M.C. and fought to get Zen's arms off, the albino prying of his attempts with one hand. "Get off of her you perverted twitt!"

"Stop it, Seven!"

"You stop it!"

"You're being ridiculous!"

"You're being too touchy-feely!"

"It is not right to take advantage of her emotional coping." The heir added.

"You are in public." The assistant supplemented.

"She is flustered enough." The student commented.

"And you are not intimately-related." The photographer quipped.

Zen growled, "Alright, fine!" he untangled his other arm from M.C.—whose face was still buried in her hands—but let his other linger over her shoulder. "There, you animals, happy?" he scowled.

Seven put his own arm around M.C.'s shoulders from her other side. "Yes, quite, ya wolf. Wouldn't want the beast to come out all of a sudden." The redhead grinned smugly, "Besides, this is how friends do it, alright? None of that hugging and cuddling nonsense!"

The actor thumped him on the head and leaned in to M.C., "The beast has no intention of coming out, I swear."

"Whatever." She sighed before letting her hands fall off. Her face was flushed, and her hair a slight disarray. M.C. cringed, "Sorry again. I just find it real incredulous and suspicious that you guys trust me too much." She played with the ends of her hair.

"Well, aside from the fact that we do not have much of a choice in the first place," Jaehee joked as she gently pried the girl's hands off and fixed her hair, "All you have ever done for the past few days is help us get by. We are really grateful for that, M.C. So do not apologize." She smiled at her, "And personally, I think we are quite lucky to have been found by you. You have sacrificed much just for us, we really owe you."

"I still think you could have done better with someone else, but we will work on this." M.C. snorted before smiling and latching onto Jaehee's arm. "I will help you guys. Just…please bear with me, okay?"

"We all get into our moods, M.C.! I just got into mine a few minutes ago too" Yoosung held her hand and grinned sheepishly at her.

The girl blinked at him, then at V, "Oh? Are you guys…okay? Sorry, that pair thing—"

Jumin shook his head, "It was quite an activity, M.C. But I think I can speak for all of us and say that it was helpful all the same." He hesitantly patted her head and nodded approvingly at her.

The others voiced their affirmatives. The girl blinked, "Seems like you guys have interesting stories to tell."

V tapped her nose before smiling down at her, "You did good, little girl. How about we get something to eat now and get back?"

M.C. sniffed and gave a small smile at them. "Thank you, guys. And sorry again. Let's go then."

They only took a few steps towards the foodcourt when they heard a voice call out.

"Hey, M.C.!"

They all turned to see a tall lanky guy walking towards them.

Rather, toward M.C. The RFA looked at the girl, an astonished look at her face. She looked back at them tentatively before eyeing the nearing figure back. " _Uy_!"

The RFA stepped back discreetly when the guy stopped in front of her and messed up her hair, "How are you, M.C.? What are you doing here?"

He just laughed when M.C. slapped his hands away. She scowled at him, which he answered with a bigger smile. "I was grocery shopping." The girl mumbled as she fixed her hair. "What about you? What are you doing here?"

"Same. I came with Mama to help with her errands." He gestured behind him to a waving woman at the cashier two counters before where they paid. M.C. smiled and waved back before turning to scowl at the young man. "Wow, what a good son you're being today."

The guy huffed, "I have always been a good son!" he lightly slapped her shoulder, "You alone? Come eat with us! I'll even treat you to something sweet."

M.C. cringed, "Err…I can't. I'm with someone actually…" she looked behind her. The guy blinked and looked too, only having realized the small group, "Oh."

"Yeah." She cleared her throat and gestured behind her, "These are my friends from Korea. The house I reserved…it was for them." M.C. turned to the RFA, "Guys…this is Sab. My block-mate from school."

The RFA blinked. The redhead whistled. "Ah…so you're that guy!" He leaned in to the blonde, "He's the one with the chicken leg, right?"

M.C. stared at them confusedly before shaking her head and replied to the young man. "Anyway, we have to get back. I helped them buy a lot of things."

Sab nodded at the RFA before smiling back at M.C., "I thought you don't have friends? You going international now?"

The girl mock-laughed and punched him on the arm. "You're hilarious. And I do have friends! Just not too many!" she sniffed.

Sab laughed again before looking at the RFA, and grabbed her lightly on the arm. He turned his eyes to her, suddenly concerned, "You are okay, right? You said something about an emergency when you booked the house." He whispered.

The girl rolled her eyes at him, "I'm fine. They were unexpected guests, which counts for an emergency."

The boy shrugged, "Okay, if you say so." He grinned at her, "You are getting fatter."

M.C. snarled and punched him again, "You git! Just go before I inflict serious damage on you."

"I was just messing with you! You are always too serious." Sab bit his lip and patted her head. "We haven't…talked in a while." He said quietly.

The girl curled her lip. "Oh? Haven't noticed."

"That snarky attitude of yours? That's gonna be the death of you one day."

"No, it's probably all the nonsense this world has to offer." She brushed off his hand again, "Is Quinn with you?" she asked instead.

Sab blinked, "No. She's away with her family." He sighed, "Look, I—"

M.C. made a gurgling noise at the back of her throat, "Save it for some other time." She gestured behind him, " _Tita_ is calling for you, now. And I really need to go too."

The young man looked back and nodded at his mother before turning back to her and smiling sadly, "Yeah, okay." He nodded at the group behind M.C., "Hope you enjoy your stay here."

The RFA nodded back. Sab ruffled her hair again and pinched her cheeks, "I'll see you soon, M.C. Visit next time, okay?"

M.C. shoved him off, "We'll see. Good luck with work!" she waved at his mother, "Bye, Tita!" She gave them a smile before turning back to the RFA. They stared back.

Seven broke the silence, "So that's the famous Sab?"

The girl rolled her eyes before urging Yoosung to push the cart so they can move forward. "He's only famous because you people can't stop talking about him."

"He doesn't seem anything special." Jumin commented offhandedly.

V chuckled, "That's a bit too harsh now."

M.C. looked back at the both of them and frowned, "You laughed, that means you somehow agree to it, too."

The photographer and the heir merely shrugged their shoulders.

Seven rested his hands at the back of his head. "I guess he looks okay, what do you think Jaehee? You are a girl aren't you?" he nudged the brunette.

Zen thumped him on the head, "Stop asking that, dude. That's rude!"

The chief assistant rolled her eyes, "Stop pestering me just because you feel insecure all of a sudden." She adjusted her glasses, "And just to answer, he looks charming indeed, and amiable too." She shared a look with M.C., who snickered.

Seven gaped at her, "Am not insecure! Why would I be?"

Zen scoffed, "You think that is charming? Please."

Yoosung scratched at his head, "How is that amiable?"

V tapped at his chin, "Looks can be deceiving."

Jumin deadpanned, "You said he has dogs."

Jaehee shook her head at them, "You all are oozing diffidence right now."

M.C. laughed, "You guys are just really too much sometimes."'

"He seems to like you, M.C." Yoosung commented.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Please."

"It's true! He seems too touchy-feely with you." The blonde added.

"He's always been like that. Truth to be told, that git is a nasty little flirt." M.C. sniffed.

Jumin glanced at her amusingly, "You can't say that a little more nicely?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders. "No polite way to say it." She shook her head, "Sab has that tendency to act all sweet and friendly. He is a good friend to have, but a difficult man to be in a relationship with."

Zen looked at her from the corner of his eye, "And you said that because…"

"Because he was that good friend to me once." She gave them a pointed look, "Not because he became my boyfriend or anything more."

"Past tense?" V asked.

"Things happened." She shrugged, "Let's just say I got left out. We drifted apart then." She smiled sadly, "To be honest, I have only started talking to him again when I inquired about your house. It's probably been a year since we talked like that…"

Seven clicked at his tongue, "Well…it was his loss M.C.!"

"Punches or no, you are one hell of a person to be let go that easily." Zen added.

M.C. shook her head, "How can you guys say that when you've just met me?"

The RFA looked at each other, "You snapped and ignored us for only a few minutes earlier and we already worried like crazy."

The girl blinked at them before giving a small laugh, "You guys…real adorable the lot of you." She smiled, "Let's grab some dinner!"

* * *

After ordering takeout for dinner, M.C. tasked each of the RFA to go back to the stores and fetch the things they shopped for earlier. They met at one of Trinoma's many entrances where M.C. called for an Uber car to take them home.

Funny enough, they got the same driver that took them there earlier.

Yoosung blinked, "Hello again, sir! You dropped us of here, remember?"

The driver gave them a small smile, "How could I forget such a colorful crowd?" he whistled at their carts, "You youngsters certainly did your shopping."

M.C. shook her head, "I know, right? I'm quite beat now."

"Best we hurry then!"

The driver—he insisted they call him _Kuya_ Rey—helped them haul their bags and boxes in his white Innova. With all their shopping, the ride back became a bit cramped. Jumin sat at the front this time, a few bags of groceries seated with him, and the takeout in his lap. Jaehee, V, Zen and M.C. sat at the middle seat, some paper and plastic bags seated at their laps. Seven and Yoosung sat at the back, with the boxes of gadgets and devices.

They left the mall same time as most of the people did, so they found themselves caught in the middle of the rush hour. Just in time for the heavy rain to pour down.

"Looks like we've got heavy traffic ahead of us, kids." _Kuya_ Rey commented, "Travel time might be longer than the one earlier."

"It does seem like it." M.C. commented. "How am I supposed to go home at this weather?" she mumbled.

Jumin looked at her through the rearview mirror, "You still plan on going back to your house tonight?"

M.C. responded a drowsy "Yeah."

Seven poked her neck from behind, "Why didn't you say so earlier? We could have just finished this some other day."

The girl slapped his hand. "No, this is fine. Best we get things over with as soon as we can." She sniffed, "I'll just let the heavy downpour pass before leaving."

"Can't you just go home tomorrow instead?" V asked. He already felt bad about having her come home alone and late yesterday.

M.C. shook her head, "No can do. Got some stuff to do tomorrow. I'll be fine. Still early anyways."

The clock read _7:47 Pm._

"It's been quite a day, huh?" Yoosung commented as he stretched his back. "That was the longest and most draining shopping spree I have ever done!"

"Most eventful, too." Seven added. And Jaehee sighed, "I can only hope we can have a quieter day tomorrow, then."

M.C. closed her eyes and internally scoffed, _Not with you guys around._

The RFA recalled and jibed on what happened today, arguing and making jokes on some. She wonders where she got their energy from. _Well, they do tend to be up during the ungodly hours of the night._

She yawned quietly and rested her head on the window glass. She closed her eyes and hugged her bag. _Just a quick rest._

The last thing M.C. heard was the sounds of the group's laughter.

* * *

"And so M.C. said—"

Zen paused at whatever he was saying when he felt a warm weight on his shoulder, a light scent of jasmine making itself known. The RFA looked to him at his silence, the same time he turned his head to see a dozing M.C., her cheek leaning against his shoulder. The girl's brows were slightly furrowed, her mouth lightly open and taking small calm breaths. Her arms were clutching tightly to her bag.

Yoosung leaned in, "Wow Zen, you seem to be in her good graces today."

"Yeah," Seven sighed, "You even get to hug her without getting mangled! You sneaky bastard." He whispered before chucking the actor behind the head with the puzzle box.

Zen briefly turned to scowl at him before turning back to smile fondly at their newest member. He adjusted his position gently and leaned back a bit to make her more comfortable.

"Luciel is just plain jealous, I can tell." V quipped as he grabbed a few grocery bags from M.C.'s lap, and placed it above his own instead.

"Peanut butter and jelly~", Jumin added.

M.C. would have snorted inelegantly at his otherwise blank face if only she were awake.

"Am not!" the hacker sniffed.

"Are too!" Yoosung sang.

"God Seven is too awesome to be jealous."

"Not awesome enough to avoid M.C's wrath."

"She is a whole new level of divine that even I cannot elude!"

Jaehee blinked, "That actually sounded kind of sweet…and then again, creepy." She frowned, "maybe a bit perverted, too."

Seven frowned at her. "Shush, _noona_." He blinked and grinned slyly, "Maybe you're the one that is peanut-butter-and-jelly, yeah? You like Zenny, don't you?"

Yoosung cringed. "Why does a lot of things sound so wrong when you say it?"

"I am not jealous." Jaehee gave him a look. "And I only like Zen as a friend and a fan. Nothing too romantic." She pushed her glasses back.

Zen beamed and gave her a wink. "No worries, Jaehee. There is enough me to go around for everyone!"

"Yeah. I don't think we need any more of that." Jumin smirked.

"Hey! Nobody asked you, Mr. Chairman." Zen huffed. He turned back to the sleeping figure next to him. The actor lifted his hand to brush some strands of her hair off of her face. His fingers grazed her cheek—

M.C. slapped his hand away and groaned lightly. She shifted a bit and lifted her head to lean against the window, this time, continuing her nap.

They blinked before snickering at the deflated white-haired man.

"Damn. Even in her snoozing state, she still manages to ruin the mood."

"Still manages to reject Zen, too."

"Both of you, shut up."

* * *

M.C. woke up just as the car halted to a stop. She groaned and rubbed at her back. "Where are we?" she mumbled as she looked out the window. The droplets on the glass makes it hard for her bleary sight to know where they are.

"Did you have a nice nap? We just reached the house, we're back." Zen smiled at her as he grabbed the plastic bags.

"Oh," was the only respond she said as she yawned. "With this downpour, your stuff might be drenched even before you get them inside your house." _Kuya_ Rey sighed. The rain still poured long and hard.

She blinked. "Wait. Right. Let me open the gate, _Kuya_ Rey. You can park the car temporarily inside so we can unload all of our stuff easier."

"But M.C., you'll get drenched! Make Jumin do it instead." Yoosung replied.

M.C. gave him a blank look. "Jumin would take forever to open the gate. I believe he is used to someone opening it for him."

"I'm still here, you know." Jumin scoffed. "And I'm rich, not stupid."

The girl rolled her eyes as she grabbed her umbrella and the keys from her bag. "Whatever." She mumbled before going out of the car and into the rain, the umbrella only barely protecting her from the pouring torrent of water.

"That should be you getting wet out there, Zenny-in-shining armor." Seven jabbed.

The actor glared at him, "I know that! But she insisted on me going in the car first, because she wanted a window seat. She glared me down!"

"You're taller than her."

"Her stares can turn you small and insignificant." Zen shot back. He stared out as M.C. opened the small front gate and proceeded to open the large-double-door one.

 _Kuya_ Rey moved the car again and entered the covered driveway. After parking it carefully, he shut off the engine.

The RFA then got out of the vehicle, carrying all their stuff. M.C. had just opened the front door and ushered the rest to put everything in.

"Now I'm starting to think that maybe we did buy too much."

M.C. snorted, "You think?" he rubbed at her lower back before grabbing her backpack once again and hooking it over her shoulders. She went to help with all the other stuff, but was stopped by Jumin. "We'll handle the carrying, M.C. You should go and rest now."

"Well, okay. Make use of your muscles and whatnot." She gave a small grin before going to _Kuya_ Rey, who was lifting the other boxes. "Oh, _Kuya_ Rey, thank you so much. This rain really is something, huh?" she sighed as she looked out. The strong downpour made things blurry. "It's probably hard to drive through all that."

The driver stacked the boxes along the porch and shut the car door close once they were emptied out. "Yes, but you get used to it. We do what needs to be done to earn for a living you know. It will take much more than rain to take this ol' man down!" he grinned. "But are you still going out, ma'am? It might get difficult if you are planning to commute."

"He's right, little girl." V quipped as he passed by to get the other boxes. "Let the torrent pass, okay? Going out in this weather is worrying." He said over his shoulder as he carried the package back inside.

"Yeah, listen to the leader for once, M.C.!" Seven bumped her hip with his as he grabbed the other plastic bags.

M.C. landed a hit on his arm before he got through. "I do listen to him!" she shouted back before sighing. "Guess I have no choice but to wait." She cleared her throat and grabbed the fee from her wallet. "Here you go, _Kuya_ Rey."

The driver smiled at her as he took the money. He counted it and blinked. "Oh, it would seem that you gave me too much."

M.C. stopped his hand from returning the cash, "Take it as a tip, _Manong._ You have a long night ahead, grab some coffee while you're at it, okay?" she scratched her cheek sheepishly, "I would offer you some, but preparing would take a while…"

 _Kuya_ Rey laughed. "Oh, no matter, ma'am. This is already more than enough. Thank you very much!"

She smiled. "Have a safe trip."

"You as well ma'am. Thank you for using _Uber,_ and the tip!" the Uber driver beamed happily. After making sure they did not leave anything in the car, he got in and proceeded to drive out and into the rain.

M.C. then closed the gates and went inside the house. The bags and boxes were now piled at the living room, and the RFA currently preparing the take-out.

"Here, M.C." Jumin handed her a glass of water, "You must be tired."

The girl rubbed at her back, "Yeah, maybe a bit. Never shopped that long. And thanks." She drank the whole contents of the glass and set it on the sink.

"Come now. The fried chicken awaits." The heir pushed at her backpack-clad back gently to the direction of the dining table, where everyone was already seated.

The girl snorted. "No need to shout of over-excitement, Jumin. Don't sound too eager."

"Let's dig in, M.C.!" Yoosung patted the seat next to him. "While the chicken is still warm."

M.C. reached for the chicken leg from the bucket, "You go on, guys. I'll just have this. Not that hungry." She yawned and gestured to the vacant seat. "Go sit, Mr. Han."

"Where will you sit?" the heir asked.

"I'll just be here." The girl munched on her chicken leg as she sat on the barstool. "I'm leaving in a few, anyway." She took her phone out. "I need to let my parents know I'll be late. And I'm going to contact Oliver about the house, I'll ask if you guys can extend for a few more days. Eat up." M.C. stood up, eating on the chicken leg, and went out to the porch.

Jumin blinked at her retreating back. Then at the vacant seat. Then at Yoosung. The heir shrugged his shoulders before sitting down. "I apologize, Yoosung." He gave a small sly smile, "But you have just been—"

"—denied, bro." Zen and Seven finished before high-fiving each other.

"Wow. You guys are that proud." Jaehee gave them an unimpressed look.

Seven grinned. "We've all been denied. This is awesome!"

"How is that awesome?"

"It's not. I just want to make myself feel a bit better." He shoved a spoonful of mashed potato in his mouth.

 _Poor Seven._

"Hey, Jumin and V didn't get denied." Yoosung commented. He sighed at his chicken. "Why is it always the dark and brooding ones?"

Seven scoffed. "M.C. denied the dress Jumin bought _and_ mocked his way of spending."

Jaehee choked on her bite, "He what now?"

The heir paused in slicing his chicken. His brow ticked.

V smiled slyly as he looked to his childhood friend. "Oh?"

"Don't sound so surprised." Jumin huffed. "How did you even know that?"

"I am God Seven. These things just come to me."

Zen blinked. "I think I saw him crouching behind a rack earlier at the Landmark."

"My precious privacy!"

Jaehee shook her head. "So it's just V then."

The photographer grimaced. "Actually, she did." He rubbed at his neck. "The statement actually rung inside my head at the time, honestly."

Seven dipped his chicken slice in gravy. "Nah, I did actually say it." He commented offhandedly. "I passed by the shop after leaving Yoosung drooling over a videogame—"

"I did not drool! My mouth just hung open slightly!"

"—then I saw you making the 'The Move'. I literally saw how your face fell after she said something." The hacker snorted. "You fell gracefully though, so cheers to that."

V rubbed at his face. "Thanks, Luciel."

The actor gave a chortle. "That's it, we're all pathetic then."

Jaehee chuckled, "Wow. For a supposed dating sim game character, you guys are doing horrible."

"Hey! You're a character too."

"Yeah. But M.C. actually likes her."

"Wow, Jaehee. Way to raise the flag."

"Please just eat."

They sighed pathetically before going back to their meal.

Of course, they didn't stay silent for long. "And what the hell is 'The Move'?" Zen asked the hacker.

Seven clicked his tongue. He made a show of wiping his mouth and sighing heavily. "You can't _not_ know 'The Move', Zen. All males know what 'The Move' is!"

Jaehee looked at the other members.

They shook their heads.

The hacker looked at them blankly. "Basic level-one flirting, my friends." He shook his head exasperatedly. "Girlfriend or no, I'm afraid it is stuck with our male genes for the rest of our lives. We even do it without even realizing it." He shrugged. "It's basically part of our system." He paused for a moment. "Even the Sab dude does it—and let me tell you, he is a master of the thing."

"Okay. Not at all interested." Jaehee rubbed at her temples. "Please spare me of this and just eat. Seriously."

M.C. came back then. "Good news guys, no one booked the house yet. I had your stay extended here for ten days more, Oliver even gave me the discount. She'll drop by on Monday to get the payment." She then scratched at her cheek sheepishly with her clean hand, "I…I don't have any money left so I thought maybe we can pay with your money now. I mean, there is still quite an amount left from today and—"

Jumin looked at her, "Of course we will pay for the accommodations, who else would?" then he blinked, "You paid for the first four nights…and the UV van ride."

"And the KFC takeout!" Yoosung added.

Zen's brows furrowed, "Did you pay for everything that you handled with your own money so far? The breakfast from earlier and everything?"

M.C. bit her lip, "Yes? No! Just…uh, my share in everything. I brought the cocoa balls from home, and I bought the bread, fruit and gelatin yesterday. And uhm, I paid for my share at lunch and—"

Seven clicked his tongue, "You shouldn't do that, Mama." He nudged his chin at her bag, "We'll pay you with what's left then."

The girl frowned at him, "What? No! There's no need to do that. And what if there was an emergency? You would need the money for the mean time."

"And what about you, M.C.? You just spent all your money on us, it's probably saved up for something important." Jaehee replied.

"It was for emergencies. This is an emergency, so I used it."

"Yeah, emergency handled. Now we get to compensate you for the money you lent." The hacker retorted. "It's only fair."

V sighed. "He's right, M.C. This is an RFA concern, so we should make use of our resources, not your own, especially now that we already have the access to it. I insist we pay you back."

The girl rubbed at her face tiredly. "Fine, whatever. But…can we not talk about this right now? I don't like talking about money."

The RFA members shared look before nodding. Jumin answered, "Alright. We shall settle this some other time, soon."

"Good." She threw her chicken bone to the trash can and slumped ungracefully on the couch. She set her backpack down beside it. "How am I supposed to go home now?" M.C. sighed. The girl folded her arms at the back of the seat to face them and rested her head on it. "It's still raining." She mumbled miserably.

"It will let up soon, M.C. Why don't you rest for a while? We'll just—"

That was the last thing M.C. heard before succumbing to the pull of dreamless sleep.

* * *

 _V-Cut_ and _Tostillas._ Filipino chip brands; the latter is spicy barbecue-flavored and the former is nacho cheese-flavored.

 _Frutos_ and _Wiggles._ Filipino candy brands; the latter are chewy and fruity candies and the former are small and twisted marshmallow treats coated in chocolate.

 _Uy._ Familiar way of address or calling out in the Philippines; can be translated as "Hey!" or "Oi!"

 _Kuya._ Is what the older brother in the family is called. Can also be used to refer a male person older than oneself.

 _Manong._ Can also be 'Mang'. Used to address the male elderly in the Philippines; can be translated as 'Uncle' or 'Old/Elder Man'.

 _Uber._ A public utility car service that can be accessed through a mobile app, and requires internet connection to use. Uber drivers use their own cars although drivers can rent a car to drive with.

 **A/N:** And that's Day Three everyone!

I think there is something wrong with the PM so if any of you have questions, just leave a review.

See you next time!

And to:

 **Mercedes1312**

Thanks for thinking so! I tried really hard with the V and Yoosung scene, so I am happy that you liked it. Thank you and I hope you get to enjoy this too!

 **Tsurohito-Lianrie**

I had a rough time with that actually, so thank you for appreciating it! I thought long and hard as to how they will talk about it, and I had to read through some of their conversations using my friend's account just to get an idea. They still have a few things to go through though, but it will come in time, and they will come out of it stronger. Thank you and I hope you leave a review again!

 **Kurama 2004**

I will never tire of hearing how this story makes you happy, it is one of the things that makes me push through with this, actually. Yes, M.C.'s temper is quite entertaining here, and I have a sweet tooth also so I guess we can both relate! And I understand your concerns about the game too.

And there seems to be something wrong with the PM feature, so I guess I will just answer your future inquiries here then?

I hope you got a good grade on the project! It warms my heart that this story had such an influence. The Philippines has such a beauty that only a few about and I want to share bits and pieces of it here. And yes, the food here is good and cheap actually; Sapin-Sapin is a favorite of mine. I hope you did well on your exams! Thanks a lot!

 **BeautifulyCool**

Hey thanks! I'm glad that you appreciate the humor as well. And we will get to know more on M.C. in the future chapters, so I hope you can look forward to that. Thank you so much!

 **Jummper**

Thanks for thinking so! This is my first time writing so it makes me glad that you find the story's humor acceptable. I hope you had a good time with this update as well!

 **erunee**

Thank you so much! I hope you like this as well.

* * *

 _Salamat po!_


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Hey there. Wow, it's been almost a month. I apologize for the wait, and I'll say it now, that it might happen again. But I hope you guys will continue to look forward to this though.

I would like to thank those who viewed, followed, favored and reviewed this story. I am grateful for your support!

Warning for some spoilers, and Rated T for language, thoughts and actions. 

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe. 

* * *

_**Chapter 16: In which M.C. takes the RFA to church**_

* * *

M.C. stirred from the depths of sleep and groaned at the sound of her phone alarm ringing. With eyes still closed, she blindly patted around for the blasted object and shut the alarm off, knowing that it will ring in another fifteen minutes. And another. _ **  
**_

The girl knows how stubborn she was to get herself out of bed.

She shuffled to her side only to have her movements restricted by a soft and cushiony wall. Her brows furrowed. _I don't remember a cotton-stuffed wall in my parents' room._

M.C. opened her bleary eyes and squinted at the texture that she sees. She brought her hand to feel it— _Leather._

"What the…" she turned to look over her shoulder. It took a few seconds for her sleep-riddled brain to recognize that it was, in fact, the living room of RFA's current residence.

She gasped and attempted to get up. "Holy—!" her wild fumbling caused her to get tangled in the sheet that was draped around her.

And fell to the floor with a mumbled "Oof!"

With a few nudging and pulling, the girl untangled herself from the confines of the soft blanket and sat up. "Oh no. Ohhh nooo. Oh no, oh no, oh no…"

That went on as she scrambled around for her phone and unlocked it. M.C.'s eyes widened when _5:33 Am_ flashed on the screen.

She blinked for a couple of times as last night came to her. "Shit, I slept here. Again." The girl groaned and let herself fall back on the floor.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She rubbed at her face before getting up again. M.C. picked the sheet up and folded it into a neat square. _I don't remember getting a blanket._ She set it on the couch and rearranged the pillows.

"M.C.? You up?"

The girl turned to the loft and found a yawning messy-haired Seven peering at her over the desk edge of the loft.

"No genius. I'm knocked out dead."

"Spare me the sarcasm. Way too early for that."

She raised her eyebrow at him, "You slept at the desk?"

"What? No. Slept on the floor, on sleeping mats." The hacker yawned and stretched. "Your 'Oh No' and 'Stupid' song repeats woke us up."

M.C. ignored the jab on her morning predicament. "'Us'?"

The blonde appeared beside Seven. "Morning, M.C." he greeted, eyes still half close. His hair was flat on one side, and all wild on the other. "Did you sleep well?"

"Too well." M.C. shook her head and went back to rummaging through her bag. She set out the wads of excess cash from yesterday on the coffee table and grabbed a bag of clothes from inside her backpack. "Why didn't you guys wake me up? My parents are going to kill me!" she grumbled as she took out a towel and a hygiene pack too.

 _What else is in that thing?_ Seven shuffled at the now crowded desk for his glasses. "Nah, don't agonize on that. Your parents know you're here."

M.C. paused in her backpack-digging and blinked confusingly up at them, "Huh?" she intelligently asked.

Yoosung and Seven shared a look. "Well..." 

* * *

_Last night…_

"It will let up soon, M.C. Why don't you rest for a while? We'll just wake you when the rain lightens up."

When no sarcastic remark followed, they all looked back to the direction of the living room.

Just as the girl's head slid from the back of the couch to land on the armrest instead. One of her arms and a leg was now dangling where her head was a moment ago. Her mouth was slightly open, emitting light snores as a sign of her slumber.

They blinked.

"How charming." The heir quipped as he turned back to his beloved chicken.

Jaehee sighed. "She must be really tired."

"Well it has been quite a day." V commented as he worked on finishing up his meal.

"Tell me about it." Zen yawned. "Let's finish this and clean up. I'm beat too."

Not too long, the RFA members finished their meal—surprisingly, in casual conversation as the situation called for—and tidied up the remains of it.

The rain only seemed to go on, not getting any stronger, but showing no signs of lightening up either. They adjusted the ACU temperature and left M.C. a bit more time to her rest.

After agreeing to limiting sarcastic jabs and using _indoor of the indoor_ voice in their conversations, they were now sorting out the bags and boxes in the living room.

"Yoosung and I will take these up to the loft. There's enough space up there for these babies, with sleeping area to spare." Seven pointed at the packages containing the gadgets and electronics. "We'll finish setting up My Precious afterwards too and retrieve the information from M.C.'s laptop."

The blonde gave him a weird look. "Did you just call them 'My Precious'?"

"Please don't tell M.C."

Jaehee shook her head at them, "Go on then. We'll handle these. Just don't stay up too late again."

The ginger nodded and proceeded to the boxes. "Be careful with that, bro. I'll gut you if anything crashes."

"I'll push you off the railing if you do. M.C. will freak if we get even a scratch on these." Yoosung huffed as he carried one also.

As the two brought the boxes upstairs, the rest shuffled through the bags.

Zen shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I'll get the edible groceries then."

Jumin frowned. "You are taking charge of my food?"

"Quit it, Mr. Trustfundkid. We agreed on limitations, remember?" The actor placed his hands on his hips and followed, "And yes. I am taking charge of _our_ food," he emphasized before pointing at each of them, "As Seven is waiting to die on chips and carbonated drinks, Yoosung can't do egg dishes any justice, Jaehee defines dinner as microwavable convenience store food, and V's eyesight is as good as Jumin's cooking skills."

The rest of the RFA members retorted in defense.

"Wow. How long have you been saving all that up?"

"How could you? Chips and soda are the essence of God Seven's life!"

"So much for limitations, huh?"

"That was one omelette! And only two hard-boiled eggs have gone wrong…"

"You are one to talk. You are a smoker and a drunkard."

"I buy convenience store food because I am busy."

"I can still see, you know. He, on the other hand, cannot cook at all to save his life. Big difference."

"How insensitive, Zen. That goes for you too, V."

The actor ignored them as he crossed his arms, "I may be no Grandpa RamG, but I have lived by myself for quite a while now, and am a decent cook at the least. And to add, I actually value my and others' health and well-being."

V waved him off. "Alright Zen. Go take charge of the food groceries and stop making everyone feel bad."

The actor gave a satisfied nod and carried the plastic bags to the kitchen.

As Jaehee placed the non-food items to their designated places in the house, V handed Jumin the paper bags. "As ashamed I am to say, we lack the handmaidens and gentlemen to heed to your every call, your highness. If you may be so kind to keep these clothes in their respective whereabouts, I would be so grateful."

"Leave the insults to the masters, V. It is not becoming of you." The heir scoffed at him before taking the bags and sorting through the clothes. The photographer chuckled as he returned to arranging the book and office supplies.

It was a few minutes into their own tasks when M.C.'s phone on the coffee table vibrated.

Seven and Yoosung just got down. Zen went back to the living room carrying a bowl of candy to set on the coffee table. Jumin was going through another bag. V just got up to place some papers on one of the drawers.

' _Mommy Sun' calling._

This again.

Unfortunately, Jaehee was in the restroom upstairs, getting ready for bed as she was the first one to finish.

And there will be no sullen M.C. bursting through the door this time.

They stared at each other. Then at M.C. Then at the phone.

"Should we wake her?"

"You want to die?"

"Should we answer it then?"

"Do _you_ want to _die_?"

"Well, what do you suggest we do that will not lead to any of our potential demise?"

The men remained silent.

Then the phone call stopped.

 _Missed call (1) from Mommy Sun_

Sighs of relief—

The phone rang again.

"Damn."

This went on for three more times before Jumin snatched the phone off the table.

"What are you doing?!" they all exclaimed at him.

The ravenhead shrugged. "I'm pissed. I'm tired. I miss Elizabeth the 3rd. And I just want to rest now. We obviously can't get anything finished if we keep jumping whenever this phone gets a call."

"…And?"

"I will throw it to the trash can now."

"WHAT?!"

The RFA males paled when they heard a whine from the couch. Their heads turned.

M.C. shuffled a bit before going still again.

They released a sigh—

Phone rang again.

Jumin chuckled humorlessly. "I was only joking. I will answer it now." He looked back at the phone in his hands, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

 _Well, whatever._

Before anyone can stop him, he swiped at the screen.

And immediately, " _Mariel Cecilie! Where are you? It's late now!_ "

The RFA cringed at the loud voice.

"Wow, guess it runs in the family, huh?" Seven commented.

" _What was that, young lady? Hello?"_

Zen thumped Seven on the head. "Shush you!" he fiercely whispered.

Jumin blinked before clearing his throat slightly. "Good evening, madam. Am I right to assume this is M.C,'s mother?"

"Wow man, this isn't the police station."

Yoosung hit Seven this time. "Dude, stop!"

" _And who is this? Where is Mariel? How do you know her?"_

"This is like M.C. finding us in her dorm for the first time…"

" _Dorm? First time? What are you saying?! You better tell me now or else—"_

V elbowed him in the ribs. "Seven, seriously."

The rest swore they saw the heir's fingers shake ever so slightly. "Please, calm down. I am Jumin Han, an acquaintance of M.C.'s. And you should know she is safe from harm."

A pause on the other line. " _…And where is she, exactly? Why are you the one answering her phone?_ "

"We are currently in our rented residence here in Quezon City. M.C. is napping in the living room, as we speak. Her phone was on the coffee table. We apologize for not answering earlier, as it was on silent. We have only recently noticed that she was getting a call."

The others snorted.

" _Oh?_ " another pause. " _Are you one of those Korean friends that she had mentioned? The ones who just arrived a few days ago?_ "

Jumin blinked. "I believe so, madam."

" _Is that so, then?_ " A sigh of relief from another line. And then Mrs. Morevaz's tone of voice changed from frantic and hostile to calm and welcoming. " _How wonderful! And yes, I am Mariel's mother._ "

Seven and Yoosung shared a grin at the name. "So she's Mariel at home, huh?"

"It is a pleasure, madam. Though I apologize we have to be acquainted like this on the first time." Jumin replied.

" _Oh, please, you are too polite. Call me Tita Sun._ " a shuffle on the other line. " _I am sorry for earlier. M.C. texted hours ago that she will head home in a while, but then it is a few minutes to eleven now, and she is still not here. No calls either._ "

The heir briefly looked at the still-sleeping figure on the couch. "The rain is pouring hard here, Mrs—erm, Tita Sun." he rubbed at the back of his neck slightly. "We suggested she wait for it to let up before leaving, but it showed no signs of doing so. She fell asleep in between waiting. We had a rather draining day and decided against waking her up to give her some rest. I am sorry that made you worry."

" _No wonder there were no texts or calls. Do not worry, child. I understand. It is raining hard here as well, that's why I wanted to reach her too. I was about to tell her to just go sleep over at a friend's house of wherever she is near at. But I guess it is settled then._ " Another pause. " _…You two are not alone, right?_ "

The rest blushed.

Jumin blinked. "Oh, no. There are others with me."

" _And there is a female aside from my daughter there?_ "

"Yes, _Tita_ Sun. But she is in the bathroom at the moment." Jumin replied.

" _Oh, yes, I understand. Is Mariel still sleeping?_ "

"Snug and deeply _._ "

" _Okay then. I just wanted to know. Thank you for answering…Jumin—was it? You kids should get your rest, too. It is quite late._ "

"Yes, _Tita._ You should rest also. M.C. will certainly go home tomorrow."

" _Good, then. Oh! You should visit some time. I would love to meet M.C.'s new friends. One of you might even be her potential boyfriend, someday!_ " Mrs. Morevaz squealed.

The RFA men looked at each other _._

They can practically imagine a snarling M.C. looking at them like the dirt that she steps on. _Boyfriend?,_ her voice roared in their heads, _As—freakin'—if._

They heard a deep voice mutter, " _What?! No! No boyfriends!_ " in the background. " _Oh, shush you!"_ M.C.'s mother answered to whoever she was with. More shuffling. " _Anyways, it has been nice speaking to you. Thank you for taking care of M.C, goodnight to all of you!_ "

"The pleasure is ours, _Tita_ Sun. Good night and have a good rest." Jumin answered. The others chorused their goodbyes before the line went dead.

The RFA men breathed a sigh of relief—finally.

Just as Jaehee arrived, her hair a bit damp, and a blanket in her hands. "What's with the heavy breathing? What happened?" She looked alarmingly at M.C., but seeing her sleeping figure, she relaxed again. "Did I miss something?" the brunette covered the slumbering girl lightly with the sheets she got from upstairs.

"M.C.'s mother called." V sighed as he finally got the papers placed.

The assistant blinked. "Oh? Did you answer it?"

"Jumin did." Yoosung grinned.

"Well, Mr. Han can charm-talk his way into anything."

"You should have seen and heard it, Jaehee. He was so nervous that he thought he was a cop or something." Seven snorted as he grabbed some of the boxes again.

"Was not."

Zen snickered lightly. "We saw his fingers tremble."

The assistant titled her head, "Now my interest is piqued."

Jumin scoffed. "My fingers did no such thing." He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "At least now we know that M.C.'s personality actually stems from somewhere." 

* * *

"…And that's what happened."

"Wha…" M.C. sputtered before narrowing her eyes at them. "All you said was 'Well…And that's what happened'!"

Seven laughed. "Yeah, I'm just messing with you."

And so the duo told M.C. a brief story of what happened last night.

"So what you're saying… is that my mother just had a conversation with the warmest person on earth?"

Yoosung and Seven snorted.

"Yes."

"A real ball of sunshine."

The girl groaned and rubbed at her face when they finished. "Great." She sighed heavily before looking back at them. "I'll just take a quick shower and head out. You can take care of breakfast right?"

Yoosung blinked, "Well, yes. But, M.C., isn't it a bit too early to leave? I mean, it's just half past five." He shrugged. "Your parents do know that you are here anyway."

"It's Sunday. I have church today."

Seven's eyes was suddenly filled with alertness. "You go to church?"

M.C. rubbed at the back of her neck, "Yes, Seven. I'm Catholic, too."

The hacker then scrambled up to get to the drawers in the loft. He tripped twice before yanking it open and shuffling through the clothes. Yoosung looked at him confusedly, "Uh, Seven? What are you doing?" he huffed when a shirt was thrown over his head. "Hey!"

"M.C.~" Seven called out instead as he picked at the clothes, "Wait for me, alright? I want to go with you. I want to see your church!"

"No."

Seven took a pair of jeans, socks and undergarments from the drawer and grabbed the shirt from Yoosung's head. He leaned over him to look at M.C. pleadingly. "Aw, come on! Please?"

"Still no."

"Why not?"

The blonde pushed the hacker away. "Can't blame her, dude. You are a handful."

Seven pushed him back. "Says you."

"Says everyone!"

The ginger huffed. "I just want to see their church here, and attend their mass, as a fellow Catholic." He rolled his eyes at their youngest. "You just don't understand my awesome devotion."

Yoosung narrowed his eyes at him, "Devotion, huh? When was the last time you ever attended mass anyway?"

"Uh…"

"Hah!"

"Oh shut up. All the more reason that I should go, see?"

"Well, I don't think it is up to you now."

"She would take me, right M.C.?"

They both turned to the girl.

But she was no longer there. Instead, they heard the sound of the shower running from the bathroom downstairs.

"M.C. would take you where exactly?"

They both turned to find a groggy Zen, mid-yawn and stretching his limbs.

"Is there ever a moment that you actually look horrendous?"

The actor smirked. "Can't help that I am this perfect."

"What about the time at the last party? You know, the one where Jumin brought Elizabeth the 3rd?"

Zen sneezed.

Seven chuckled, "Yeah, I remember that. He sneezed and sniffed all throughout the party!" then he sighed, "Alas, I'm afraid that still doesn't count. His fans still found him cute and adorable and delicious for some reason."

The blonde made a face. " _Delicious?_ "

"How do you even know that?" the actor rubbed at his nose.

"I may have or may have not accidentally sent the picture to one of your fans."

Zen gasped. "There was a picture? Damn it, Seven!"

"Too early for the cussing, Zenny." the hacker tutted.

He glared at him. "Speaking of too early, what are you all doing up? And you still haven't answered my question from earlier."

"Seven wants to go with M.C. to her church." Yoosung replied. He looked at Zen again before attempting to fix his bedridden hair.

Zen walked over to him and patted it down for him. "And why would you want to do that, Seven?"

"I'm Catholic!"

"Oh?"

"You sound so surprised."

"Well, you're not exactly Mr. Morals, you know."

Seven took hold of all his clothes, "Whatever. God Seven will hear no more of your petty opinions." He stomped over to the bathroom on the second floor.

Yoosung shook his head. "He says he's Catholic yet he calls himself 'God Seven.'"

"Don't bother. Seven is a complication as he is." Zen leaned over the desk. "What is it with the church suddenly anyway? And where is M.C.?"

"Taking a shower." The blonde got up and stretched before cleaning up the mats and pillows that he and Seven slept on. "She is in a hurry to leave for her church today. Seven got curious then."

The albino yawned. "Way too early for all this activity. And on a Sunday, no less." He sighed. "I'll start on breakfast then. I will not allow her to leave on an empty stomach."

"We sure are strict with these meals, aren't we?" 

* * *

M.C. dashed out of the bathroom and was greeted by the smell of bacon wafting through the air.

She ignored her growling stomach as she settled on the couch to fix her stuff. She left their money on the table, folded her worn clothes, and put it in a bag before stuffing it in her backpack, along with her hygiene pouch. M.C. took her towel off her head and proceeded to the fan to towel-dry her hair.

Seven also came out not too long after, running his own towel along his hair. "M.C.," he called out, "I'm done too, see? You can take me with you now."

"Still no." She responded as she combed through her locks.

"Aw, come on! Why not?" the hacker whined as he threw his towel at Yoosung.

The blonde—who was staring as M.C. combed her hair—glared at Seven and threw the towel back to the hacker's face.

"Because I'll be too busy to handle you there. My church is in Bulacan, which is probably an hour away and we don't have a car. And honestly, you really are a handful." M.C. replied. She went to the laundry area to hang her towel at the clothesline and went back inside to fix her things. "Why would you want to go anyway? It's the same mass, just a different language. Just stay here and rest."

Seven hopped all around as he put on his socks and grabbed at his phone. He fixed his glasses upon his nose and ran downstairs. The hacker stopped before the coffee table. "I want to see how it's done here. You don't have to worry about me. I'm older than you, surely I will be able to handle myself." He took a thin bundle of bills from the wads of cash that M.C. set on the table.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Seven, seriously. You may be older, but you are not in Korea. Heck, you are not in _your Korea_."

"I'm a hacker, M.C. I know my way around. I will find my way around. I'm not stupid."

The girl zipped up her bag and turned to face him. "Then stop acting like it. You are not coming with."

Seven crossed his arms. "Yes, I am. I'm dressed now, and I have the money. I'll just follow you."

M.C.'s brow ticked.

"Breakfast is ready!"

M.C. and Seven glared at the actor.

Zen glared back. "This is what I get for cooking breakfast at six in the morning? On a Sunday?"

M.C. rubbed at her face. "Sorry, Zen. It smells great."

"Really, dearest. I don't deserve this animosity." He flared dramatically, "Just for that, I insist you eat before you leave."

"Alright, fine." M.C. conceded. "You guys are real persistent when it comes to meals." She sat herself and filled her plate with rice, bacon and eggs. Seven turned the television on before sitting next to her and grabbing a plate for himself.

"Breakfast is an important meal for any day." Zen poured them apple juice. "I'll just take a shower too, then." He yawned before heading upstairs.

Just as Jumin made his way down. "Good morning," he greeted the albino blankly.

"Not 'good'. Still too early for a Sunday." Zen mumbled as he passed by him and to the second floor.

The heir went to the dining room, "Good morning, M.C., Luciel."

The two hummed at him halfheartedly as they ate at their bacon, their eyes turned to the television.

Jumin scoffed before pouring himself some tea. It was only when he sat himself at the head of the dining table that he noticed their get-up. "Are you two going somewhere? At this time of the day?"

M.C. handed him the plate of eggs, " _I_ am." She glared at Seven.

" _We_ are." The hacker corrected.

"Are you two going out on a date?"

"With the Almighty, yes."

M.C. groaned.

Jumin just looked on confusedly.

"M.C. is taking me to her church!" Seven grinned. "We will go to mass there."

"Really?"

They turned to Jaehee, who just got down also. "M.C., is it alright if I come with? I am a Catholic too, and I really want to go to mass." Then she caught herself. "Oh, only if it is not so much of a bother."

M.C. looked at her, then at Seven, then back at Jaehee.

She sighed.

Seven grinned triumphantly.

M.C. glared at him before raising her arms, "Alright! Fine! Whatever." She sulked as she stuffed more bacon in her mouth, hoping the greasy treat to give her somewhat of a comfort.

Jaehee blinked at the cackling Seven. "Am I missing something?"

"You are an angel, Jaehee—No!" he waved it off and gestured happily, "You are a majestic android! A robot with heavenly grace!"

"You know what? I don't even want to know." The brunette sighed as she sat down.

M.C. checked at her watch. "The mass that I am attending is at eight-thirty this morning, and I estimate an hour of travel." When she saw Jaehee quickening her pace, she eased her down. "No, don't hurry. It is quite early still." She handed the assistant a plate, "Eat first."

Jaehee nodded, "I will get ready after breakfast, then."

Zen emerged from the hallway, "Woah, you're coming with them too?" He turned his questioning gaze to Jaehee, who nodded an affirmative. He then looked at the sulking M.C., "I thought you're not taking anyone?"

M.C. just grumbled.

"I thought you were taking a shower, Zenny." Seven quipped.

"I was, but Yoosung beat me to it upstairs." Zen raised his arm that has clothes hungover it, "I'll use the bathroom here below instead. Any of you in immediate need of it? I won't be for long."

"Are you sure? Don't you need half an hour at the least to admire your reflection in the mirror?"

"I don't need to see myself to know how handsome I am. I just know." Zen shrugged before pouring M.C.'s empty glass with apple juice, "And stop sulking, M.C. If it will make you feel better, you can come shower with me if you want." He winked at her.

Jumin, Seven and Jaehee choked on their intake of whatever.

M.C. curled her lip at him, "Beat it, Hotshot. Just go before I shower you with bruises."

Zen made an immediate dash to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Jumin wiped at his mouth. "How crude." He cleared his throat. "Well, I will get ready also."

"For what?" M.C. asked. Then her eyes widened, "Woah. You're not thinking of coming too, are you?"

The heir shrugged his shoulders. "I am curious to see your church as well."

The grin vanished from Seven's face. Jaehee blinked owlishly at her boss.

"Wha—No! You can't!" M.C. frowned. "Again, my church is all the way to Bulacan. It's an hour away!"

She expected him to be deterred. But the heir merely smirked. "Excellent. I recall your mother is quite eager to meet us."

M.C. looked at him incredulously. "What are you—?" then realization dawned on her on what Seven and Yoosung told her this morning. She then narrowed her eyes at the heir as she grumbled unintelligible things under her breath. Probably of a colorful language.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." The girl growled. "Why are you so curious? You're not even Catholic."

"I want to see what you do in your church. You can't just be simply attending mass. Judging from your fixed schedule, I think you have some sort of activity today. I am most curious about that."

Seven and Jaehee turned to M.C., "Is that right? Do you have something else planned other than mass?"

M.C. tensed a bit and ignored them. " _Bahala nga kayo_!" she glared at the director and stuffed eggs inside her mouth this time. Jumin gave her a mocking smile and got up to place his dishes on the sink.

And that was how V and Yoosung found them. The former was rubbing gently at his face, the latter was drying his hair with a towel. "Good morning, everyone. Everybody's up early." the photographer greeted.

"We're heading out." The hacker replied as he finished his meal. He blinked. "You're Catholic too, you should come with!"

Yoosung paused at his towel-drying, a bacon strip in his mouth, "Did M.C. allow you to go?"

"Where to?" V asked.

M.C., who was now oozing with displeasure, exploded. " ALRIGHT! I already know where this is going!" She rubbed at her face. "All of you get ready within an hour or else _I will really kill someone_!" She growled as she grabbed at her dishes and dumped them on the sink.

The RFA watched her stomp off to the bathroom, just as Zen emerged, damp and shirtless.

And delicious.

…Is what his fans would think.

But M.C.—

"If you even value an ounce of your life, you will grab a shirt right now or so help me gods I will—gah!" she raised her hands and curled her fingers real close to his neck.

She really looked like she wanted to strangle someone that instant.

And Zen really didn't want to be that someone so he reached inside hurriedly to put his shirt on.

M.C. shoved him out before slamming the door shut.

When the actor caught his breath, he turned his gaze from the door to the others. "Really? Me again?"

They merely shrugged.

"I am never getting up this early on a Sunday morning ever again. Not worth it." 

* * *

M.C. rubbed at her aching head. _Why can't this day just be over with?_

After the RFA members got ready, M.C. distributed the remains of their cash evenly to each of them. They grabbed an _Uber_ car and headed to Trinoma, where the terminal is at.

They were now seated in the UV van heading to Bulacan. Unlike the one that they rode in a few days ago, where the driver can pick-up and drop-off passengers along the way, M.C. explained that the UV van they were at present only goes from Trinoma and directly to Bulacan, where the driver can only drop-off the passengers until the last stop. This was also bigger than their previous ride, meant to sit eighteen people—eight at the back, eight at the middle, and two at the front with the driver.

M.C. paid for the eight seats at the back to give them some room and spare a poor soul of RFA.

They were waiting for two more passengers before the van was ready to go. M.C. checked at her watch. _7:24 Am. Okay, still somewhat early._ She sighed and stared out the window of the van door.

The seats at the back are parallel and facing each other, meant to sit four on each side. Beside M.C., Jaehee was sitting quietly. Next to the brunette was the heir, who was arguing with his childhood friend that was seated across from him. Seven sat next to the photographer, and between him and Zen—who was also seated next to the van door, was Yoosung.

"I still think I should have worn my suit and tie…"

 _You would look stupid in it._ M.C. thought.

"…And why do I have to wear my hair like this?" Jumin patted at his head. It was swept back and held in its place by a small amount of hair wax, with only a few strands of his fringe falling to his forehead.

V smiled wryly at him. "Well, M.C. insisted. And you would look ridiculous wearing a three-piece suit on a hot day."

After Seven almost got recognized yesterday, M.C. wanted to take precautions. Obviously, they look different from their animated selves, but the hair and eye color would certainly give them away at some point.

She still can't believe it is all natural.

Luckily, the hair-dye and lenses thing can easily be passed off. M.C. suggested—demanded—that they change their clothing and hairstyles, at least when they were to go out in public.

"I never look ridiculous in anything."

"In our Korea, maybe. Besides, it's a Sunday." Their leader gestured to his own gray V-neck shirt and white khakis. His own hair was parted at the center, and slightly mussed. "Casual clothing is worn by most people at this time of the week, since it is mostly a rest and leisure day."

 _Rest and leisure? Yeah, right. Tell that to all the overworking maniacs out there._ M.C. frowned.

"I cannot bear the thought of meeting M.C.'s family in these." The heir frowned at his simple button-down short-sleeved shirt and black jeans this time.

 _My mother would gush._ M.C. scowled deeper at the thought. "Nobody is meeting anyone. After church, you people are going back to the house."

The heir blinked, "But your mother—"

"—is too busy to accommodate guests today. And I have a thing to take care of at the afternoon." The girl finished.

"Well, some other time then." Jumin continued, "But still, I can't help but think that these clothes make me look tactless and undiplomatic. Like Zen."

Said man glared at him. "Don't drag me into this. And you would be lucky to look even an ounce like me. At least I dress up my age and look good in it."

… M.C. growled internally since she cannot think of a rebuttal for that. Zen would look good even in a sack, and he looks charming at present in his blue polo shirt and faded jeans. She insisted on tying his hair in a high ponytail, to get more of his strands away from his face. His fringe was combed to the side.

"I don't really care about what you dudes wear, but can we just appreciate how suddenly young and pleasant-looking Jaehee is right now?"

 _Yeah, she is pretty you blind pieces of male._ M.C. rolled her eyes.

They looked at the brunette, who was wearing the mint green blouse and beige pants that M.C. picked out for her. She had simple brown sandals to match. And her glasses was left at home, since she does not really have the need for it. Jaehee's cheeks colored. "Please stop staring." She narrowed her eyes at Seven, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

The hacker shrugged his shoulders, "You look uptight and professional all the time. This is a nice change!" he grinned, "But of course, nothing beats God Seven at being casual. I mean, look at me, I'm the 'Boy Next Door'."

 _Passable, until you open your mouth. And the red hair screams 'rebel'._ M.C. thought as she took in his baseball shirt and _maong_ pants, with his own rubber shoes. His bangs was held back by a black head band.

"More like 'Creep Next Door'." Yoosung jibed. "Don't I look more like that type?" he adorned a green short-sleeved hoodie and black pants.

… _You look like a girl, if you tweak your features a bit._ M.C. pursed her lips. Without Yoosung's hair in a man bun as it was now, he might even look more feminine than her.

"You just look boring."

"Hey!"

M.C. rubbed at her temples. "Will you people pipe down? Everyone in the van can hear you."

They were the only ones talking.

It was at that moment that a couple appeared and got in the van after paying the barter. And then they were off to the road.

"If you can't keep quiet, just talk unobtrusively." M.C. said. "We do not want to disturb others."

The RFA remained somewhat discreet for the rest of the ride. They looked at the passing surroundings, and occasionally asked M.C. questions about what they find interesting. Surprisingly, M.C. answered them with patience, and not a trace of her normal irate tone. She even seemed eager to explain whatever it is they are intrigued about in her country.

By the time they entered the highway, Yoosung and Seven had dozed off and were leaning against each other. Zen was staring quietly at the window. Jaehee was tapping at her phone. Jumin had his arms crossed, and his eyes closed. V was probably thinking again, M.C. couldn't tell since he was now wearing his sunglasses.

"It is quite hot here, isn't it?"

M.C. looked at the actor, who was seated across from her. Since they were seated next to the van door at the back, they got hit by the early morning light first. The sun's rays made them both squint their eyes a bit, but the air conditioner in the vehicle eases the heat off it.

"Yes, it is. That is why I asked you to buy light and airy clothing. And to bring your handkerchiefs with you." She replied. Then she stared at him longer.

Zen looked right back at her, "You okay, M.C.? Is there something on my face?"

"It is your face." M.C.'s brows furrowed. "You look good in that light."

"Oh." His cheeks pinked. "Then why are you looking like it's a problem or something?"

The girl focused her stare on the color of his cheeks then. She rubbed at her chin, "I'm thinking what color I would use if I am to paint you...You'd make a good muse."

Jaehee, Jumin and V, who was listening quietly to both of them, looked at M.C. Then at Zen, and back at M.C.

 _That explains the calculating look._

M.C. looked away and fixed her stare back to the view outside, her eyes squinting slightly due to the light.

Zen was an actor. His profession required of him to be more visual and sensual than most. He knew the phrase, 'The eyes are the windows to the soul' very well. What his words and actions fail to convey, his eyes speak for—not only in acting, but in reality as well. Zen made sure to use his talent at it to his advantage. It was probably one of the reasons why he is good at his job.

He can be pretty proud that he can catch a better glimpse of a person's personality just by looking in their eyes.

So when Zen thought further about it, he came to this:

 _M.C. looks at everything like she is merely watching television…_

In the days that he was with her—M.C. looks mostly disinterested with everything happening. The girl seems pissed all the time, sure, but it was more often short bursts. She gets annoyed, melancholy, amused, delighted, panicked or curious, then she goes back to being nonchalant.

The world can turn upside down that instant, and M.C. would most probably just scowl and blink it off.

The only time where her casual nature disappeared was that moment a few days ago, was when she came inside the house drenched. And it was not even a positive thing, because instead of _something_ , there was _nothing at all_. Not a hint of sadness or anger. _Vacant._

Even when she got into one of her moods yesterday at the grocery store, she pretty much just frowned, sassed and shut down.

Then just recently, the apathy in her gaze actually disappeared for a moment. She actually looked at him with hints of admiration, wonder, and desire.

But _not entirely_ for him.

 _For art._

Whether that was complimenting or offending, Zen couldn't tell for himself.

He can't help but think whether the indifference in her gaze could mean that she was looking at something else—that she was taking in the sight of other things instead. _What could be in your mind right now?_

He thought of that the whole ride. 

* * *

It was an early Sunday morning, so they got to the terminal in Bulacan—the last stop of that particular UV van route—in less than an hour.

M.C. grew up in an environment between the province and the city.

Most of the RFA members lived in the city for most of their lives. But where they are at now, there were no tall skyscrapers or overhead highways. The tallest buildings they can see was a grocery mart and a few warehouses. Other than that, there were plenty of vacant lots and grass fields and trees, all waiting for development. The van terminal itself was more of a shed than anything, with benches and abundant open parking spaces. A few paces ahead was a public market and an events plaza where different stalls were scattered around, and people going directions to look for cheap purchases. The place was very much alive and packed, as it was a weekend.

And undeniably hot.

They just got off the van and sweat was already forming at the back of Seven's neck. He groaned, "You said this is a normal thing?" he looked at M.C. tiredly.

"Stop being a sissy. You guys could use some color to your skin anyway." M.C. rolled her eyes at him. "But since I feel sorry for you," she adjusted her backpack and grabbed three sets of umbrellas to hand to them, "you can have these. I bought them yesterday."

Seven took one and looked at her bag suspiciously, "Okay seriously, what else is in that thing? You've been pulling out anything and everything from there!"

"It's a matter of arranging things properly." M.C. shrugged, "Anyway, come on. We still need to walk to get there."

And when M.C. said 'walk', she really meant it.

They walked more than half a kilometer, as Seven estimated, to reach their destination. All the while avoiding puddles caused by the rain yesterday, overtaking cars, beeping _tricycles_ , and going through throngs of people due to the lack of a proper sidewalk.

It took a while, but M.C. was a fast walker so the RFA had to keep up with her, whilst they might lose sight of her.

At first, M.C. ignored Seven's whining and them altogether as she strode on. But she got pissed when she noticed high-schoolers looking at Jaehee. And annoyed when Yoosung almost got hit by a sidecar. And it grew when Zen got more attention and when V tripped and bumped the end of his umbrella on her head. And more, when Jumin stopped by a stall selling pirated DVDs.

She made to look back every now and then since, to make sure they are alive and well and behaving.

So by the time that they got to the church, M.C. was seething.

Seven just thanked the higher beings that they were in a religious place right now.

And the rest was glad M.C. insisted bringing their handkerchiefs with them. The square clothes were life-saving at this point.

Zen and Yoosung can't help but laugh at Jumin and V's haggard faces. "Not used to it, huh?" the hacker grinned wickedly.

"Shut up." The childhood friends chorused.

M.C. took a few breaths to calm down before running her fingers through her hair. "Okay, come on. The last mass just finished. We can still get decent seats as the next one starts in twenty minutes." They proceeded inside the church.

The ornamental work inside the church was outstanding, the details and painting giving it life. The altar was well-lit, the figures of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were in glass cases and aligned in a row at the center of the altar, and behind the priest's table. The figure of the Holy Spirit was situated above the three sculptures. Surrounding the figurines were decorative wood and masonry works.

At the ceiling was a painting of the sky in different hues. They were scattered paintings of angels and cherubs resting on fluffy-looking clouds. And at the pillars were images of some notable saints.

Light streamed through stained glass windows and the chandeliers hang over the rest of the seats. Electric wall fans were also installed at the end of each bench row, attached to the columns, to give maximum ventilation.

M.C. directed them to the second row of the few benches located at the right transept. It was a good location—not exposed to the whole church, and has a decent view of the altar.

Zen sat at the other end, followed by Yoosung, Jumin, V, Jaehee, and Seven. M.C. sat next to the hacker.

V brought out his camera, "Do you think it is alright to take photos?"

"Go on while there are still a few people." The girl waved him off.

The photographer nodded and stood up to take a few shots.

Zen looked around, "So this is what your church looks like. The outside looks a bit worn, but the inside is well-maintained."

M.C. had to lean over to see Zen, as he was on the other side. "Yeah. They focused on working on the insides since nobody really pays attention to what the façade looks like outside." She thought for a moment, "If I remember correctly, this church got finished in construction by the same year that I was born."

"Oh, cool! You got baptized here too, then?" Seven asked. She nodded her affirmative.

"Will your parents be here?" Yoosung asked quietly.

M.C. bit her lip. "They have their serve at the mass after this one. So they could be here earlier." She tapped at her phone as the RFA quietly took in their surroundings. Eventually, she stood up, "I just have to check on something real quick." The girl narrowed her eyes at them, "Stay here and behave, alright?"

Jaehee smiled at her, "Do not worry, M.C. We aren't going anywhere."

The girl snorted before grabbing her backpack and went outside. She made a left turn so they didn't get to see where she was headed.

"Does your church look similar, Assistant Kang?" Jumin asked as he stared at the altar.

Jaehee tilted her head. "Somehow. This place is older and more historical in its motif."

Seven settled the knee rest and kneeled down to silently pray. Jaehee followed soon after. Zen, Jumin and Yoosung remained quietly seated, but not bored nonetheless.

V came back and put his camera back to his bag. He kneeled like Seven and Jaehee after, made the Sign and clasped his hands together to pray quietly.

The people slowly started coming in, and it did not take long for the church to be filled up. When they looked around, they caught a glimpse of the benches outside, only to see it all occupied also.

Though the space on Seven's right remained vacant.

He pouted. "Nobody wants to sit next to us."

"Next to you." Yoosung corrected.

Jaehee sighed. "It's probably the hair."

It was partially true, though. Aside from a few who had their hair dyed into different shades of brown, auburn and blonde, the RFA members really stood out among the dark-haired people.

M.C. appeared then, fanning at herself and looking sleepy. She ignored the curious stares that some threw at her as she made her way through the people and sat down next to Seven.

As the rector started speaking and mentioning the names of those who asked for prayers, M.C. unhooked her bag from her shoulders and dug through it. She brought out hand-fans and handed it to the RFA members.

Seven just shook his head at her backpack. "Really." The rest of the RFA nodded their thanks at her.

The church bell rang to signal the start of the mass.

The altar servers fronted the short march at the aisle, and the priest at the very end. They took their places at the altar. The priest—"That is Fr. Dino," M.C. said when Jaehee asked—started with the traditional Greeting, before following with a greeting of his own to the people.

"Good morning too, Father." The people responded back.

The sequence was the same as other Catholic masses. Though the responses and prayers are mostly sung at this particular church. And there was an actual choir singing them.

The Kyrie and Glory came in a song.

Zen, Yoosung and Jumin are not Catholic. V, Seven and Jaehee may know the local language, but the songs that they knew came in Korean or English.

So when M.C. started to sing, the rest of the RFA cannot help but just stare at her. Even if they were seated near the church choir, they can still distinct M.C.'s voice from the rest singing.

Her singing voice was not exponentially pretty or contest material, but it was controlled enough not to be painful to the ears either. Certainly not what they expected from someone who speaks with a growl in her tone every time.

Their unsubtle staring caused her ears to color a bit, but aside from the weird and narrowed looks she briefly tossed their way, her focus was on the mass. She even nodded her head and tapped her fingers at times in tune of the song.

The readings and Gospel were then given (even the Responsorial Psalm and the Alleluia was also sung—V, Jaehee and Seven actually got to follow through), and they sat down to listen at the homily of the priest.

M.C. stole a few looks at the RFA members. They seemed attentive and maybe even intrigued by what Fr. Dino was saying. She was just glad, that aside from their looks, they haven't caused anything worth attention-gaining.

The Liturgy of the Word passed. And the RFA remained clueless when the rest of the people got asked to sit down, and were reaching for their bags and wallets for money.

M.C. explained about the offering that they do, where the candles, bread and wine, and other gifts get to be delivered to the priest by a short procession, and he blesses those who brought them. Baskets were being passed around by church auxiliary to the people who are seated for those who wanted to offer. M.C. dropped a bill, and the RFA copied her.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist began as the priest prayed for the gifts and offerings, and prepared the ceremonial placing on the bread and wine. The Eucharistic Prayer followed immediately with a dialogue between priest and people.

The Sanctus acclamation was also sung.

The Communion Rites came then—probably one of the interesting parts for the RFA.

One, because the "Our Father" was sung while holding hands.

Zen, Yoosung and Jumin blinked at each other. V, Seven and Jaehee never practiced it, since they go alone whenever they get a chance to attend mass.

But M.C. grabbed for Seven's hand before singing. So the RFA decided to follow her lead and held hands with whomever they were next to.

 _Forgive me, I have sinned..._

 _Her hands are soft._

'Our Father' was followed by the rite of peace. M.C. smiled at them warmly and offered a sincere, "Peace be with you." To them.

The feeling increased when the people around them easily gave off smiles and well-wishes of peace. The RFA smiled back and offered their own signs of peace.

M.C. briefly clarified how family-oriented the Filipinos were in general. Now that she had mentioned it, it was quite noticeable how most came in families and groups. Married couples with children, grandparents with grandchildren, friends and classmates, couples and lovers. There were only a few who are actually alone. And there were lots of children.

The members' hearts warmed at that thought.

And being here in this world, attending mass with the people whom they are with, well… _RFA is family._

The priest then presents the Eucharistic Bread to the congregation, and this was then followed by the communion.

The queues were also organized with the help of the usher and usherettes. M.C., Seven, Jaehee and V proceeded to line up to receive communion as Zen, Yoosung at Jumin remained seated.

It went unnoticed how M.C. waved and smiled at a number of people that pass by.

There were no announcements then, so after the Prayer after Communion, the priest gave the usual liturgical greeting and imparted his blessing. The liturgy concluded with a dialogue between the priest and congregation, and a sound applause as thanks to the Lord.

Another song was sung by everyone, brief thanks and praises were given, and then the lay ministers proceeded to spray holy water amongst the people. The children went to the priest to practice _pagmamano_ and receive his blessing. Others went to the crucified figure of the Son to pray. The people lingered a bit to talk to anyone they happen to know and came across.

After being blessed by the holy water, M.C. sat back down again and sighed. "Okay, now that's over." She looked at the RFA, who also seated, to give way to the other people who were now exiting the church. "Fine. I admit, I do have another thing I need to do here, aside from the mass." She rubbed at the back of her neck. "And it might take a while, too."

"What is it?" 

* * *

_Tita._ Used to address the female sibling of one's parents (for one's family). Also used to address the mother or female guardian of one's friend. Can be translated as 'Aunt' or 'Auntie'.

' _Bahala nga kayo!_ '. Used in the story as 'Whatever!', but can also be translated as 'Fend for yourselves!' or 'Do what you want!' It's a common phrase used in the Philippines when one is pissed off or impatient at the other.

 _Uber_. A public utility car service that can be accessed through a mobile app, and requires internet connection to use. Uber drivers use their own cars although drivers can rent a car to drive with Uber.

 _UV._ (UV Express). Another form of transportation in the Philippines that makes use of vans. Can also refer to the license to operate utility vehicles.

 _Maong._ Denim cloth.

 _Tricycle._ A common means of public transportation in the Philippines most especially in small towns and cities, especially in the rural areas. These public utility vehicles either ply a set route or are for-hire. These are usually made locally by building a sidecar and affixing it to a motorcycle.

 **A/N:** This church-bit was difficult to write for me, but I hope I did it justice.

Sixteen chapters and I'm still at Day 4. Is that a problem? Hmm.

Thank you for those who patiently waited for the updates, you guys are awesome.

If you have questions or comments, please don't hesitate to leave a review!

And to:

 **BeautifulyCool**

Yeah, M.C. is a savage. Hm, maybe? Let's wait and see! And yes, Kakashi-sensei is just so cool, really. I'd recommend you to watch the anime the mentioned characters were in, of you ever have any time.

Still haven't played the game, and my friend is currently preoccupied with her schooling so I'm relying on web search and screenshots for now. The chicken part though, my friend made me read the chat and I sort of remembered thinking, "WHO DOESN'T LIKE FRIED CHICKEN?!" (besides the vegetarians, maybe) Because fried chicken is such a huge part of a person's childhood, you know?

Anyway, goodluck with your story! And thank you for supporting my work!

 **sui**

 _Salamat kababayan! Sana nagustuhan mo 'tong update na 'to._

 **JojoBerries**

Hey, thanks! I'm glad you found this funny and entertaining. And I really appreciate the review that you left, it really encourages me to work harder on this story, so thanks a lot! I had to read over the conversations numerous times in hopes of getting it just right, and yeah, M.C. is such a tiger. Hope you enjoyed this update as well!

 **SchneeKa**

Hey, nice to meet you too! Thank you for thinking so, and I'm glad it made you laugh at least. I'm trying to make the relationship developments between the characters and M.C. to be even, so anyone who wanted to read can enjoy the friendships somehow, so thanks!

 **Mercedes1312**

Yeah, it can be pretty understandable. Between my friend and I, I'm usually the one who freaks out a lot—my friend who plays the game is always the calm one. And it's funny, because I'm the quiet individual during conversations, and she's the noisy person. Anyway, hope to hear more from you soon! And I love your photo, I adore Zuko.

 **Tsurohito-Lianrie**

Shaman King is my childhood, along with Prince of Tennis and Yakitate Japan—it's all just really funny and cool. I'm glad you get to relate to M.C. somehow, I hope the story cheers you up as much as it does for me!

 **Kurama 2004**

Hey, how was the exams? And the family get-together? And congratulations on your project! I know right? My life is pretty average, but the RFA is a whole other story. They have such unique traits but at some point, you can somehow relate to their problems you know? Maybe that's how the RFA got transported in M.C.'s dimension? Hm, we'll see. Thank you for the review! I'm looking forward to hearing from you guys, and I hope you enjoyed the update.

 **Shiroji IA**

Thank you so much! _Kadugo nga mag-_ english _eh haha. Salamat kababayan!_

* * *

 _Salamat po!_


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait. And thank you for those supporting this story. I hope you can enjoy this chapter as well.

And to those of you who want anyone to chat to, please feel free to message me. I may not be able to give a proper and immediate reply, but I am willing to listen.

Kim Jonghyun, please be happy and may you rest in peace. 

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe. 

* * *

_**Chapter 17: In which M.C. leads a bunch of kids  
**_

* * *

The RFA stared unbelievably at their newest member.

Newest member ignored them, as she worked on her papers.

M.C. was part of a church organization.

"Hey, it's _Ate_ Mariel!"

"Oh, yeah! Our president is here!"

"Hello, Sis. Mariel!"

Church kids.

M.C. was _president_ of a _junior_ church organization.

After the mass, they followed her to the back of the church and into a smaller building. They went up a floor and into a moderate-sized lobby. The area was adorned with a few benches, and a coffee table. There was a cabinet at the back of the lobby, containing figures of Maria. On either side of the lobby were three doors each, leading to individual rooms. There were noises coming out from the other rooms, so they assumed that the place was rather occupied.

They followed M.C. to the first room on the left. There was a long table at the center of the room with chairs lined along each side and small benches along one wall. The room was illuminated by a window opposite the door.

M.C. set her backpack on the head chair of the table, and gestured for them to sit at the benches.

That was when the first batch of children came in, carrying candles, paper bags, vases, and a figure of Maria.

They were all rowdy and jovial at first.

And M.C. actually smiled at them.

Then the kids noticed the colorful-haired people at the back of the room.

The adults and the kids had a stare down.

M.C. sighed. "Come on, guys. Don't mind them." She patted the children's shoulders gently and gestured to the table, "Let's go back to setting up so we can start early."

One of the smaller children—a girl carrying two candleholders—stared longer at the group of adults, before turning back to M.C., " _Ate_ Mariel, who are they?"

"They are my friends from school." M.C. was talking to the children, but her eyes were giving menacing looks to the RFA.

M.C. and the kids unfolded tablecloths and set them on the table, the figure of Maria, candles, a small statue of sort and the vases arranged into an altar at the head of the table.

"Well…no wonder she doesn't want us to come with." Yoosung mumbled under his breath. He thought that M.C. kept her interactions to a minimal, but her being involved in a church organization said so otherwise.

"I certainly never expected this." Zen followed. The actor actually expected fellow young adults. The children were cute though, and they all seemed very fond of M.C.

And then two additional figures burst into the room. " _Ate_ Mariel, I bought the flowers!" one of the two exclaimed.

"You mean _we_ bought the flowers!" the other boy retorted. "You just carried it here!"

"Thanks, both of you." M.C. chuckled as she ruffled both of their hairs and took the flowers from them. She split the bouquet into two and have the other kids fill two vases to put them into. It went to their altar.

The two boys beamed brightly at her, before they eyed the RFA suspiciously.

 _Oh._

 _Real fond, then._

Seven snorted. "Looks like our dearest got herself a few mini admirers."

M.C. gave him a dirty look, "Shut it." she shook her head before turning to the children, who were now seated and looking at her quietly. "Wow guys, this is the most quiet you have been so far! Maybe I should bring strangers more often?" she taunted playfully.

There was a total of eleven children at present, eight of them were girls and the remaining three were boys. They ranged from eight to fourteen years old.

" _Tita_ Mariel!"

Make that twelve children.

A curly-haired girl burst through the door, smiling brightly, and hugging M.C. with all her might. "I missed you, _Tita_!"

M.C. certainly looked uncomfortable, but there was that fondness in her eyes nonetheless. "Yes, hello Haley. You can let go now, sweetheart."

Haley took her arms off of her, smile never wavering.

Of course, the colors caught her eye.

The kid turned bashful when she saw the other adults in the room and hid behind M.C., her hands to her cheeks. "Oh…"

"Oh my gods. That is adorable." Zen gushed.

M.C. rolled her eyes before directing Haley to a seat. "Behave, Haley. We have guests. And did you bring what I asked from home?"

Haley turned her attention from the rainbow strangers to nod eagerly at M.C., "Yes, _tita_!" and handed her a paper bag.

"Okay, thank you." M.C. patted her head as she took out some more papers out of the bag and took her place at the head of the table.

The children sat back down, and M.C. cleared her throat to get their attention. "Alright, kids. As you have noticed, we have guests with us right now." She gestured to the RFA, who smiled tentatively at the children. "These _ate_ and _kuyas_ are foreigners, and I am showing them around. They are members of a fund-raising organization that are just too curious to know what we do here. No need to be nervous, they won't bite." Though she looked doubtful at that.

"Is one of them your boyfriend?" the girl from earlier asked.

"Oy, Lily! You don't just ask that so easily." M.C. reprimanded. She let out a long breath. "And no, none of them is my boyfriend. I don't have one, remember?"

Lily giggled, and so did the rest of the small girls.

"Sis. Mariel! Your face is pink!" one of the boys exclaimed.

M.C. rubbed at her temples, "Thank you for pointing that out, Bryan."

The RFA has never seen M.C. this embarrassed.

Well she was on the receiving end of both sides, after all.

"Anyway. You guys better behave." She paused. "Or try harder at pretending to, at least." M.C. then motioned to the children, her irate tone making itself more pronounced as she looked at the RFA, "And these children right here are junior members of a church legion that I preside." She pointed to Haley, "This little one is my niece."

Haley waved shyly.

 _A—freakin'—dorable._

"You guys be good also." She narrowed her eyes at the RFA.

The redhead grinned. "Okay, Ms. President. Please, continue. I am quite interested as to what you do here."

Jaehee nudged him with her arm, "Behave, Seven."

"Your name is 'Seven'?" one of the older girls asked.

The hacker took a chair and placed it next to M.C.'s. "It's more of a code name. In my line of work, we are referred to by numbers. And I am lucky enough to pick my own number, so I chose the name 707 for good luck!" he eagerly explained.

M.C. snorted. _Smooth._

"I never pegged Luciel to be good with children." Jumin commented from his perch.

Yoosung shook his head, "Yeah, who would have expected the creep that lives in a bunker to be child-friendly?"

"You look like K-pop idols!" one commented.

"Yeah! I think I may have seen one of them in my sister's posters or something."

"She's very pretty."

"Is your hair naturally blue?"

"I want my hair long too, but the school won't have it."

"Your eyes are so purple…like _ube_ jam!"

"Why are you frowning? Are you not happy?"

M.C. scoffed at the last one. "Okay, enough with the interrogation kids. We'll start now."

When Seven didn't budge from his seat, M.C. caved in and proclaimed him to be a 'temporary member'.

They started by praying the rosary. Naturally, the kids' attention were not one hundred percent focused, but M.C. never failed to get their attention back to praying.

After the rosary, M.C. had them seated as she read a passage from the group's book. Then the officers reported the minutes of their previous meeting. M.C. reviewed the papers, and patiently explained whenever she came across a mishap or somebody asks a question.

"Alright, time for the members' report!" she took out a folder from her bag and took a sheet of paper with tables in it. By this time, everyone was pretty comfortable. The children were bickering and relaxed, and the RFA members were observing quietly.

M.C. was the only one who seemed rather tense. Probably because she knows she's being watched.

She glances at the RFA every now and then.

"What do they get to report about, M.C.?" Seven leaned in to peer at her list.

She pushed him back. "We have a list of assignments that each members are expected to complete. It's just small everyday tasks for the children though." She clarified as she wrote.

M.C. explained each task, and the children eagerly reported. Seven decided to join in when the task of doing house chores came up, fighting for his 'temporary member' rights.

The architecture student rubbed at her temples, "You have nothing to report, Seven. You don't clean at your house!"

"Shush, dearest. It's my turn now." Seven chided her. "In the name of Maria, I am honored to report that I have done my task of practicing Nazareth Spirit. I washed the dishes and cleaned up the mess after setting up my new devices!"

Zen scoffed. "You should be embarrassed, Seven," he gestured to the girl seated to M.C. and Seven's right side. "Little Jean practically listed all the housework out there and you did, what, two?"

"Quiet down, Zenny. We are in a meeting here. You're disrupting us."

"Hey!"

"What did you do?" one of the boys at the back asked curiously.

The actor sat up straight, "Well, little kids, I actually live by myself. So naturally, I get to do every household chore in my home if I want it to stay clean and livable."

"Everything?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"Exactly."

"Alright! Next up!" M.C. intervened before the conversation lasts any longer. "Those who practiced Personal Contact."

"Oh, what's that one?" Yoosung asked from his seat.

The girl seated at M.C. and Seven's left side—her name was Rose—replied this time, "It's giving off good and meaningful advice, caution or reminders to anyone, or visiting the ill and sick."

"But the things that we get to say will only stay in this room and be kept as secrets." The girl next to her, Christina, added.

One of the boys named James added, "It's one of the legion rules!"

"Okay, we share and we keep it a secret. Got it."

The kids stated their reports, most of them reprimanding their siblings to stop being annoying. M.C. was accommodating enough to ask little questions to get the children to talk more.

Rose's turn came, "In the name of Mama Mary, I am honored to report that I have done my task of practicing Personal Contact." She leaned in, "Well, I have this friend who was crying over her ex-boyfriend—"

"Woah, hold on beautiful," Zen interjected, "An _ex-boyfriend_? And how old is this friend of yours?"

Rose blinked, "She has the same age as I do, thirteen years old."

The RFA gasped. " _Th-thirteen?!_ " Zen gulped.

Mama-Zen mode activated.

M.C. glared at him, "Can we please let her finish before you say anything?"

Mama-Zen mode deactivated.

Pwned-Zen mode activated.

"Yes, M.C. Please continue, dearest Rose."

Seven and Yoosung can't help but laugh.

"Uhm, well…she was crying over her ex-boyfriend of five months—"

Another gasp.

M.C. rolled her eyes as she nodded at Rose.

"—who happened to have a new girlfriend already, just a few days after they broke up."

M.C.'s lip curled, "What a sleazy little b—!"

Seven nudged at her side. She coughed a bit, "—boy. I was going to say boy."

Jumin gave a rather unattractive snort.

He covered his face and turned away when they looked at him.

Rose continued, "And so I told her that she shouldn't waste her tears on such a guy. She is still young, after all. And that she should focus more on studying, to make an even better person out of herself. That will make her ex realize that it was his loss, and not hers."

"Your advice is very wise." V commented.

"Permission to speak, Ms. President?"

M.C. rolled her eyes at the actor. "Just make it quick."

Mama-Zen mode re-activated.

"Okay children, listen up. This boyfriend-and-girlfriend-thing? It can wait. You kiddos should be enjoying that part of your lives where you can play and goof around without anyone thinking you as immature or childish! Because that is what you are supposed to be at that age." He sighed dramatically. "Those grown-up things are complicated and tiring, so don't rush into that world, okay?"

Despite herself, M.C. nodded along what Zen was saying. " _Kuya_ Zen is right, guys. The adult world is a complex place to be in. And time works fast, so you should enjoy being a kid as you are right now."

"And I will say this now, to help you, my angels." Zen continued, "Remember…that all men are wolves!" he emphasized on the last part by bringing his hands up to imitate vicious paws.

 _Of course._ M.C. rested her aching head at the table.

The shy girl—Honey—tilted her head and questioned. "Wolves? All of them?"

"I'm afraid they all are, little miss." Zen shook her head. "Your fathers and brothers are the kinds that would protect you, but those who are not related to you? Oh! You should be wary of them, really. They can devour you!" He then turned to the three boys at the table, "You, on the other hand, are still cubs. But you will grow into such beasts one day! Nonetheless, remember that you must treat all girls like a queen, no matter how annoying they may be right now."

The children looked at Zen in wonder.

"Does that make you a wolf then?" Haley asked. "You're not going to devour my aunt, are you?"

Rose and Jean, being thirteen and fourteen years old respectively, giggled at the scowl on their president's face.

Seven and Yoosung laughed again. Jaehee blushed a light pink. Jumin and V smirked.

Zen ignored them, taking the matter seriously. "No, sweetheart. You have nothing to worry about." He put a hand to his chest, "This particular wolf is a master of self-control and wishes to live longer than his present years."

"If anything, I think it should be _Kuya_ Zen that should be wary of your aunt, little one," Jumin added.

"Smooth, guys." M.C. sighed. "Thank you for that enlightening talk. Anyone else who needs to report?" sarcasm can be traced in her tone, if one listened carefully.

The rest of the reports involved doing prayers and attending mass. After M.C. listed everything off, they stood up for the legion's prayer and sat back down again, to listen to her _allocutio_.

M.C. waited for them to settle down before starting, "Okay, I want all eyes and ears on me."

They all stared at her attentively.

"Except for you guys," she looked at the RFA weirdly, "You can bug off or whatever." She shook her head and addressed the children, "Anyway…do any of you remember anything to what I read form the book earlier?"

"About love, dedication and respect to the legion, Sis. Mariel!" Ben—one of the boys who bought the flowers—answered.

"That's correct." M.C. looked at the children deep in the eye. "You can't call this an act of serving if you do not take it to heart. It is so, not only in this group, but for the rest of our lives as well."

As she explained, the Seven can't help but be entranced by how she preaches to the children.

She is not simply explaining the content of what she read earlier, but trying to convey the meaning of it to the kids, in ways that they can relate.

 _She seems to genuinely care for them_ , he thought, as he watched their host listen attentively to one of the boys speaking.

Seven certainly did not expect M.C. to even be involved in a church organization, more so, leading a bunch of kids. It takes a huge amount of patience and understanding to guide the youth after all, and with his recent interactions with M.C., nobody can actually blame him for thinking of her otherwise.

M.C. didn't exactly turn into a soft marshmallow with the children. She still has that rough and loud tone as she speaks to them, but he can detect the smooth lines of affection and gentleness in it.

And the boys and girls seemed too fond of her even, as seen on how they were trying hard to absorb whatever it is she was saying, or to get her attention.

He finds it a bit difficult to believe. As a child, he never saw the softness that M.C. had right now, in the adults around him before. The first ones to show him a semblance of such were Rika and V.

Saeyoung will alwyas be grateful, as his life had changed then.

Right now, he was just thankful that these boys and girls had someone like M.C. to guide them.

 _That's twelve children that hopefully would not get to experience what I did in their age._

"You can't say that you love this legion, if you do not respect it. These go hand in hand. What will hurt Mama Mary more than not serving, is serving with an empty heart." M.C. looked at them in the eye.

The children looked at each other, then back at her. She smiled at them, "Remember that I gave you guys an out last week, right? We aren't entirely strict here, you could have left then. Which is why I am so proud to see all of you still here and serving with me under Maria's name. That is true serving. That is love for the legion. You kids should be proud of that act, even adults fail at the task that you have just accomplished. I'm pretty sure Mama Mary is real proud of you." She concluded her _allocutio_ with the Sign, as the children followed her.

M.C. only followed up with reminders after their reports, as she passed around the 'Secret Bag'. Haley explained in her best lecturing tone and logical thinking—at least, best for a seven year old child—"You see, this is passed around…and you get to put coins in it to add to our group's money! But nobody should see what you're putting in, because it's secret! We lock our fists in, and put it in the bag like this. Because it's secret!"

M.C. explained that the funds come from the secret bag, whatever the amount the children can give.

V then reached for the bag after the kids had their turn, and passed it to the other members. They handed it back to Christine, the treasurer, as she was in charge of counting the money.

Their president continued, "So I expect you guys to do your homework for next week." She talked as she inspected her papers, "Same time and place. I will contact your parents if I ever have any additional announcements."

"Will they be here again, _Ate_ Mariel?"

M.C. looked at the RFA, then to Lily, "Do you want them to be?"

The girl shrugged her shoulders shyly, "Their hair colors are pretty…" she mumbled quietly.

M.C. laughed. "Well…they might be busy by then. We'll just have to see, alright?" she turned to Christine, "Is that done?"

Her treasurer gulped and shook her head, "Not yet, _Ate_ Mariel. It's just…there is too much this time."

The twenty-year old blinked and reached for the bag. She peeked at the contents.

Her eyes widened. _What—?_ She turned to look at the RFA.

"Please take it, M.C. It is the least we can do in exchange for you accepting us here." Jaehee smiled softly at the youngsters. "They could use a treat for being agreeable children today."

M.C. blinked, "Wow. Well, thank you."

The kids beamed, " _Salamat po ng marami_!" They chorused.

"You are very much welcome, kiddies. Take good care of your group, and of your lovely president, okay?" Yoosung grinned.

" _Opo!_ "

Said president snorted. "How cheesy. Anyway, let's wrap this up and get something to eat!" 

* * *

M.C. bought the kids some donuts before they dispersed. They were now standing at the front of the church waiting for M.C., who was looking for her parents with Haley inside the sacristy office.

The last mass just recently finished so there was still quite a number of people around. Try as they may to be inconspicuous, their looks just stand out.

Thus, the stares and attention.

"Excuse me, _oppas_ , do you have a shooting here or something?" a teenager asked boldly.

They blinked at each other, and nudged V to answer. "Oh, no. We are just waiting for someone."

"Oh! Sorry. It's just that…you look like models. Okay, bye!" She squealed before dashing off to giggle with a group of girls not too far away.

Zen threw them small wave before sighing, "Why is it so hard to be discreet here?"

"They cannot actually be blamed for staring. Our features do make us stand out." Jaehee commented.

The actor sighed, "You're right." He then looked around, "Hey, has anyone seen Yoosung and Seven? They were here just a while ago!"

V pointed to the small food carts at the other end of the church. "Seven mentioned grabbing a snack, and dragged Yoosung with him."

The two were pretty distinct now that V had pointed them out. They were the only adults over a cotton candy stand.

It was not long before they walked back. "Look! I have powdered milk on my cotton candy." Seven waved his treat in front of Zen's face.

"Ugh, Seven!" The actor slapped his hand off, and patted at the milk that got to his face. "So sticky…" he wiped his face with the handkerchief, before grabbing a huge chunk of Seven's treat to stuff in his mouth. "Hah!"

"Hey!"

"The food is pretty cheap here," Yoosung commented as he took his own snack by a stick, and into his mouth.

Jumin looked at the food in the blonde's hands, contained in a plastic cup, "And what is that?"

"Oh. This one is called _kikiam,_ these are _fishballs_ , and the spherical ones are _squidballs_." he pointed his wooden stick to a small sausage, a few pieces of flat and circular light brown snack, and a spherical ball specked with small pieces of vegetables, respectively. It was covered with brown and thick sauce, with bits of onions, garlic and chili.

"That looks suspicious." The heir eyed it skeptically.

"Only because you haven't seen it before," V commented.

M.C. came back then, Haley not in sight. "Where's your niece, M.C.?" Jaehee asked.

"She's with my parents now. They already left. The car was parked at the back so you didn't get to see them go."

"Or you just don't want us to meet them." Seven pointed his treat at her haughtily.

M.C. pinched a portion of and brought it to her mouth, "Yeah, that too." She rubbed her fingers together to get the excess powder off. "Let's get you something to eat before taking you back. It's already pass noon anyway."

They walked a little ways off and into the main road of the town. There were numerous food and commercial establishments lined up along the roads—from bakeries to meat markets, from bookshops to printing services.

M.C. eventually led them into an air-conditioned restaurant. The place was not as crowded as the ones they had passed, and so they were able to get seats immediately. A waiter handed them their menus. "So," she started as she flipped through the menu's pages, "What do you guys want to eat? Chicken?"

Jaehee gulped and shook her head. "No, not today. Please."

"Why not?"

V chuckled at his childhood friend's frown. "We just had that last night, Jumin. Too much and you might get allergies, as you are not used to it yet."

The heir sighed. "Fine." He crossed his arms.

"What do you suggest?" Zen leaned in next to her to peek at the menu. M.C. handed it to him, "Everything is good, honestly. I think you'd like their smoked squid, though I haven't tasted it yet."

"Oh, why not? You don't like it?" Yoosung tilted his head in question.

M.C. shrugged her shoulders, "I'm allergic."

Seven gasped. "You're allergic to squid?!"

"I'm allergic to seafood."

They all looked at her wide-eyed.

"That's horrible!"

M.C. rolled her eyes, "And to stupid people. That's why I keep my distance."

"Better stay away from her Seven."

"You're one to talk."

"Okay. M.C., we'll take whatever it is you will order for us." V took their menus and handed it to her.

The girl frowned, "Fine. No one gets to be picky." She gave Jumin a pointed look before signaling to a waiter. After getting their orders, he took their menus and left.

"You eat here often?" Jaehee asked conversationally.

M.C. rested her cheek against her propped up hand. "Not really. I hardly stop by this part of town, unless it's a Sunday. And there is usually a cooked meal at home. But we order food from here whenever we have unexpected guests."

"It must be nice to come home to cooked meals." Zen commented quietly.

The girl bit her lip. "Well, yeah…I guess."

The actor blinked and waved his hands in front of her, "Oh! I'm sorry M.C. I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable." He sighed. "It just…slipped out."

The edges of her mouth curled up a bit, "Don't apologize. I know, remember?" she shrugged. "I'll bring some of my mother's cooking to you guys next time."

Zen patted her head, "That would be lovely, thank you."

"Don't get mushy on me." She sniffed and fixed her hair. "So, what are your plans afterwards?"

"God Seven will look more into the FDS and other files." The hacker replied as he tapped at his phone, "And maybe fix my fakeboo—oh, oops—I mean facebook account, too."

"I'll start on that puzzle that we bought!" Yoosung scratched at his cheek, "Since I don't have any LOLOL here."

M.C. gave a small laugh, "That might be a good thing, so you can't be easily distracted." She blinked. "You can stop by the coffee shop mentioned yesterday and inquire about the part-time job."

The blonde beamed, "Oh yeah! Okay, I'll do that!"

"Bring your phone with you, though, just in case Seven might need your help with the computer stuff again." M.C. reminded him. "What about you?" she looked at Jaehee.

The brunette blinked at being addressed, "Oh, I would probably just stay home and clean up. That would depend on what Mr. Han is to do, though."

Zen scoffed. "You don't have to follow his every beck and call, you know?"

"Actually, she does. Because she is my chief assistant." The raven-head intervened. "But since it is a Sunday today, you are free to do what you want, Assistant Kang." Jumin tapped his fingers lightly on the table, "As I would occupy myself into looking for C&R's equivalent."

"What are you planning to do with that?" M.C. asked slowly.

"Nothing, M.C." the heir looked at her, his face not betraying anything. "Nothing yet, anyway."

The architecture student sighed. "Someone keep an eye on him, please."

"I am not a child."

V patted his friend's shoulder. "You tend to act like it in the most inconvenient of times though." He directed his gaze to M.C., "We will make sure not to do anything stupid, so no need to worry. How about you, though? You mentioned earlier that you have something planned for the afternoon."

"Oh, yeah. Just meeting up with some friends. But I'll head home first, though. I need to drop off some of my stuff." She gestured to her backpack.

Seven eyed it again, "Ah, yes. That blackhole of a bag that you have."

"You're just envious of my superb packing skills."

The food arrived then. The RFA watched the waiter drop dishes of different cuisines; a white noodle dish with yellowish sauce, vegetables and meat at the top, a sizzling plate of meat bits, a huge bit of what looked like deep-fried pork, and a bowl of mixed vegetables with brown sauce. They came with different sauces and seasonings. He also set down a plate of what looked like an oval-shaped flan.

M.C. enumerated each dish one by one, "This," she pointed to the noodle dish, "is called _palabok._ That is shrimp sauce right there. The one on the sizzling plate is _sisig,_ which is made of diced pig's head, ears, and liver." She took in their skeptical faces, "Don't give me that look! It tastes better than it sounds." The girl gestured to the big plate, "This baby right here is called _lechon kawali_. Absolute heaven. The mixed vegetable dish is called _pinakbet_. And the dessert is _leche flan_." She pointed at the dessert drizzled in sweet sauce, "This is my most favorite of all desserts. I love the version that my sister makes the most, and this is a close second." She finished with a fond smile.

 _Noted._ "Okay, let's eat!"

M.C. was helping with distributing the food when her phone on the table vibrated. Yoosung took the bowl of vegetables from her so she can answer the call. "Hello?" then she laughed. "Wait, hold on..." M.C. addressed them as she stood up, "Go on, guys. This won't take long." And she went outside of the restaurant.

"She seems busy all the time. At least, for the past few days." Zen commented as he sliced the crispy fried pork. "She's always at the go and moving."

"Yeah. Now I kind of feel bad that she has us to deal with too." Yoosung replied solemnly. "And we're older than her."

They frowned at that thought.

"Now that I think about it, we do seem a bit clingy," Seven added, "But it is justified you know, since we are sort of dependent on her right now. Other dimension shit and all."

V spooned a portion of _sisig_ for Jumin, and another for himself. The photographer chuckled lightly when the heir gave a skeptical look at the dish. "No cursing at the table, Luciel. You just got out of church."

"Sorry, dad." Seven sniffed. "Anyway, I want to lessen M.C.'s burden too."

Jaehee nodded, "I agree. Let's get some stuff done once we get back."

They waited until M.C. returned to eat. And just as she said, the food was commendable.

Zen, Yosung and Seven took an immediate liking to the _lechon kawali_ and _sisig,_ eventually ordering takeout. Said something about them tasting good with beer and soda.

Jaehee appreciated _pinakbet_ , saying she had not had anything healthy for a while now.

V was all too fond of the _palabok_ , first due to its bright color, and eventually as to how salty and sour it tasted. The _chicharon_ was an added bonus.

Jumin…

He actually took third helpings of everything.

And they all enjoyed the _leche flan_ with their newest member. 

* * *

"Are you sure you guys can take it from here?" M.C. asked for the fifth time.

They were now back at the UV van terminal where they were dropped off earlier. Only now, they were about to ride back to the city.

Seven patted her head, "We'll be fine, M.C. You said that the last drop-off is at Trinoma, right? No way will we be lost that way. We're not that stupid."

The girl waved his hand away. "Yeah. Okay. Then you call an Uber car from there, okay? You do remember the address, right? You didn't leave anything? There's enough cash with you?"

"Really, dear. You wound our pride. We will get back fine, M.C." Zen tapped her chin lightly, "Don't worry about us. You, on the other hand, better get going. Bet you wouldn't want to be late to meet your friends." He smiled at her.

M.C. rolled her eyes as she shoved him away, "Alright, fine. I'll get going now. Just…give me a call if anything happens, okay? Or leave a text if I did not answer!" she sighed and added in a softer tone, "Be careful, okay?"

"Yes ma'am."

M.C. ushered them to get in the car first before she walked and turned a corner. The UV van got filled not too long after that, and they were back to the road again. Surprisingly, they were mostly quiet on the ride back. They reached Trinoma in no time and immediately called for an Uber car service.

Halfway on their ride back to the house, they were all nodding off to sleep.

Jaehee gave a small jerk that got her out of the almost-sleep trance and shook her head. Her slight movement startled Jumin awake, who tensed for a moment before relaxing again. The chief assistant cleared her throat, "Why don't we stop by for some drinks at that small café?"

Yoosung snapped his eyes open, "Y-you mean the café at the corner of our street?" he asked as he yawned and stretched his arms.

The back of his hand hit Seven's head, "Wha-what?! I didn't sleep, I swear!" he exclaimed as he shuffled around.

Zen shoved him off as he rubbed at his eyes, "Stop moving!"

V sighed. His head hit the window when the car went over a small bump on the road, thus rousing him up. The photographer rubbed at his head, "I think you're right, Jaehee."

The heir crossed his arms, "Maybe M.C. had something put in the food. I have not done much, and yet I feel tired already."

"Or maybe because we ate too much. That meeting with the children was a bit draining as well." Jaehee commented.

"And we woke up before six," Zen quipped. "On a Sunday. Way too early." He yawned.

"I don't think staying at the café is…advisable for now." Seven pointed out. He gave a brief glance at the driver before eyeing each of them, "Dearest Mariel would want us to head back immediately and get some rest."

 _Going out together like this is a risk._

They all sighed. _But the coffee…_

Yoosung suddenly perked up, "Why don't I just pick up coffee for everyone, then take it back home? I do have plans to ask about their part-time job offering anyway."

"Great idea, little brotha!" Seven slapped him on the back. "It's a caffe mocha for me, extra pump of chocolate syrup."

"Why not just order a chocolate drink or something?"

Seven rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Please." And waved his suggestion off. "Make that two pumps. Lots of things to do."

"Whatever." Yoosung mumbled as he typed the order down on his phone. "And you guys?"

"A traditional caffe latte for me, low-fat milk." Zen answered. "Gotta maintain these heavenly body sculpted, you know?"

"Why don't you go out for a jog after and spare us of your narcissism too?" Jumin jibed. "One affogato, please." He addressed to the blonde.

V followed before Zen could retort, "Just a flat white for me, Yoosung. Thank you." he looked at the brunette, "And for you, Jaehee?"

"A cappuccino will do for me." The brunette smiled at the thought of the drink.

Yoosung tapped at his phone, "…And one coffee milk for me. Alright, got it. These are all cold-brewed right?"

"Coffee milk? That is not a man's drink. Grow up!" Seven snorted. "And are you sure about the caffeine? Remember what I told you about—"

"Quit it Seven! I am so not falling for that again!" the blonde shoved him back. "And you're one to talk. You just asked for two pumps of chocolate syrup!"

"Oh, can you add a box of chocolate chip cookies with that?"

They dropped Yoosung off at the coffee shop and eventually arrived back at the house.

Seven made straight way up the stairs and to the loft, followed by Jaehee who headed inside her room.

Zen tripped on his way inside, "Seven! For the love of—don't just leave your shoes lying around, alright?" he shouted in the direction of the loft.

The hacker only let out a careless hum, too engrossed in setting up the computers. Zen cursed as he placed their shoes properly.

"You really are the mother of the group." Jumin commented as he neatly placed his shoes aside. He passed by Zen and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"And you're all jerks." The actor grumbled as he went to the bathroom to wash his face. V sat down at the armchair in the living room after keeping the takeout in the refrigerator. "So…what's the plan?" he asked.

"I am going for a short nap. Call me when the coffee is here." Zen yawned as he emerged from the bathroom and went upstairs into their shared room.

V nodded at him then turned to the figure at the loft desk, "And you will be working on the other files, I suppose?"

"Yeah. Doing that." Seven replied quietly as he stared at the screen, and clicked at the mouse. "If Yoosung is to apply for a part-time job, and if you intend to set up a gallery soon, you would need valid IDs and other documents. The hardcopies of it. So I'm going to search for a fake ID guy too."

Jaehee got out of her room then, dressed in a plain black shirt and sweat pants. "A fake ID guy? Is there such a person?" she asked him as she leaned in to peek at the screen.

Seven turned to look at her funny, "Of course there is! There's always a "guy"—there's a car guy, a computer guy, a club guy, a suit guy…there is a "guy" for everything!" he revolved his chair back to face the computers, "There's even a guy for getting a guy, in case the first guy isn't available."

"Do these "guys" have some sort of organization or something?" Jumin asked attentively as he sat down at the couch. "Are they legal? And doesn't that seem sexist? I mean, women are as good in varying activities as men are these days."

"Mr. Han, the case that one is a fake ID guy is already against the law." The brunette sighed. "And they aren't really a group of sorts. Also, a "guy" in that sense doesn't necessarily mean male…" she rubbed at her temples. Explaining things to a rich kid can be a real chore, no matter how big her paychecks get at times.

"It just means a hired person that specializes in a specific chore or activity, Jumin. Don't think too much on it." V added, to spare the assistant. He then chuckled, "Do we need a guy to explain these things to you too?"

Jumin crossed his arms and leaned back, "No need. Assistant Kang is already doing a good job of being that guy for me."

Jaehee's brow ticked and gave a sarcastic drawl, "An honor to be that guy for you, Mr. Han."

V pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jumin, seriously…"

Seven exploded in laughter. "You really do have a way with people!"

The director blinked, "Does that mean Yoosung is our coffee guy today? Though it won't be him who will make the coffee…a delivery guy then?"

"Oh, Mr. Han. Please stop."

"…I was joking."

"Oh, Jumin. Please. Stop." 

* * *

Coffee-and-delivery-guy-for-the-day Yoosung sneezed. He rubbed at his nose lightly and bowed to the cashier—a middle-aged woman who seems to have smiles for everyone, "Oh, I'm so sorry." The blonde mumbled apologetically.

The employee smiled at him and handed him a tissue, "It is okay, sir. The rainy season is at our door, the colds usually come at this season the most. So you better be careful!"

Yoosung beamed back, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. And please, no need to call me 'sir' _,_ ma'am."

"And no need to call me 'ma'am', young man" she chuckled at him, "The regulars call me _Tita_ Ghie, I would be happy if you do so as well." She tapped at the register, "And that would be a thousand and two hundred for your order, son."

The blonde reached into his pocket for the money and handed it to her. _Wait a minute…those guys didn't give me money for their drinks!_ He huffed and scowled.

 _Tita_ Ghie blinked, "Is there something the matter, dear? Did I punch an order wrong?"

"Oh, no!" Yoosung waved it off, "The orders are fine. Just my friends and all."

"Okay then. Here is your receipt." The employee handed him the paper and gestured to the chairs. "Please feel free to take a seat as you wait for your order."

Yoosung took the paper and bowed again, "Oh, yes thanks." He looked back to check if there was a line behind him. When he found none, he turned back to the cashier and cleared his throat, "So...I saw the poster you have at the window—the hiring one? Is it still open? I mean, I'm guessing it is, since it's still there…" he trailed off.

 _Tita_ Ghie's eyes sparkled. "Oh, most definitely! Are you possibly interested? We can use a young good-looking man like you! And you speak _Tagalog_ so fluently too."

The blonde chuckled sheepishly, "Well, yes. I live nearby and am looking for a part-time job. I am actually part of the barista club back at—uh…my university, inKorea. And when I saw the shop and your for-hire poster, I thought that maybe I should try for it!" he nervously rubbed at the back of his neck.

The woman nodded enthusiastically as she took the chocolate cookies from a cooling rack and placed them in a box. "That's good then. You being near would be convenient. This place is busy most of the time since offices and a few schools are within walking distance. And we are at a corner lot, so we are fairly exposed."

She placed the box in a plastic bag and handed it to Yoosung. The blonde took it gratefully as she continued, "My husband and I own and operate this place. He is the main barista here." _Tita_ Ghie chuckled. "He is out at the moment. But I will give you this," she took two slips of paper from under the counter and handed it to Yoosung, "Those are the requirements for the job. Nothing big, though. Just basic IDs and an application form to be filled up. The earlier you can return and pass these, all the better!"

Yoosung browsed the short list and slowly nodded, "I see. I will look into it. Thank you very much. Working in here will really be quite an experience to me." He gave a small smile as he looked around again.

The cafe— _Kapemilya_ , as the sign said—was a two-floor store that sells coffee, tea and sweet snacks. The place was strategically designed to cater different types of users—ranging from simple and professional two-seater table and chairs, to comfortable and homey couches and low tables. The counter and kitchen was located at the back, next to a mini bakery of sort, where the customers can grab a tray and pick their own bread before lining up to pay. The upstairs, Yoosung guessed, were probably more seats meant for those who want to stay longer. There were a few number of people at present, being a Sunday, most of them were teenagers and young adults using the weekend to catch up with some friends.

Teenagers and young adults who, Yoosung just noticed, were giving him short but frequent glances. He patted at his hair, suddenly conscious of being recognized, before turning back to _the older woman_. "This place looks lovely." He gestured to the box he held, "You made these, _Tita_ Ghie?"

The woman chuckled as she punched an order from a recently-arrived customer. "Ah, yes. My husband is a coffee maniac, and I'm the dessert-crazy one. A perfect combination, don't you think?" she winked at him.

"Oh, yes. I can't wait to taste both of your masterpieces."

The baker gave a hearty laugh, "You are quite a charmer, young man!"

Yoosung gave a cheeky smile and sat down in one of the bar stools along the counter. _I bet Rika would have loved this place._

 _Rika…_

He shook his head to and took out his phone to tap a message, hopefully to rid of the sad thoughts,

 _I'm at the coffee shop now, M.C. The others wanted coffee and I volunteered to get it since I wanted to inquire about the job. Have you met with your friends yet?_

It took a few minutes before his phone vibrated,

 _Yo. Kamusta? Was the job still free? Is the coffee good? Is the place okay? And what's with the sudden want of caffeine? I am with my friends right now, but we got too lazy to go out to the cinema and decided to hang out at my friend's place instead._

Yoosung had to chuckle at the continuous questions as he typed a reply,

 _We were dozing off after we left and decided to get some coffee. The café is really nice. It has a place for those who want to work, meet up with friends, read a book or just enjoy a good cup or tasty treat. And it smells heavenly. I got the requirements and application form, I'll pass it once I get my IDs. I'm looking forward to it, actually. And the owners seem nice._

 _I hope you have a good time with your friends, M.C. And don't stay out too late!_

M.C. must be really busy, as her message came later than the first.

 _Probably because you woke up early and ate too much. And the place does seem charming by your description, I'll make sure to stop by sometime. Hopefully, you can have your IDs soon._

We're watching a horror movie right now and consuming unhealthy amounts of junkfood. So yes, a good time indeed. And it's only 2pm, dad. Don't worry about me and enjoy your coffee milk. Worry about Seven because I swear he gets weirder by the minute.

The blonde bit his lip to keep his grin from getting any wider. M.C. really is something,

 _Okay, enjoy your movie marathon, M.C. And easy on the junkfood, I'm pretty sure it's a huge contributing factor to Seven's growing weirdness. Text me when you get home, okay? Have fun!_

Yoosung kept his phone after sending the text. Just in time as a voice called out not too long after, "Order up, _Tita_ Ghie!" an employee from the kitchen emerged with the tray of drinks. The elder woman gestured to him. "Caffe mocha with two extra pumps of chocolate syrup, low-fat milk caffe latte, an affogato, one flat white, a cappuccino, and coffee milk for a Yoosung!" he called out as he sat each cup at the counter, "Is that correct, sir?"

Yoosung nodded and then proceeded to keep the papers with the box of cookies. The employee placed the cups in plastic bags and handed them to him, "Thank you sir! Do come again!"

"I do hope so," _Tita_ Ghie placed a few packets of sweeteners and flavorings, straws, and tissues in his bag, "It wouldn't hurt to see a face like this once in a while!"

"I will work on it, _Tita_ Ghie. Thank you so much!" The blonde beamed and bowed numerous times before exiting the café. 

* * *

_Ate._ Is what the older sister in the family is called in _Tagalog_. Can also be used to refer to a female person older than oneself.

 _Tita._ Used to address the female sibling of one's parents (for one's family). Also used to address the mother or female guardian of one's friend. Since Filipinos are family-oriented, they make use of the term to refer to elder women that they are familiar with. Can be translated as 'Aunt' or 'Auntie'.

 _Kuya._ Is what the older brother in the family is called in _Tagalog_. Can also be used to refer to a male person older than oneself.

 _Ube._ _Ube halaya_. Is a Philippine dessert made from boiled and mashed purple yam.

 _Allocutio._ In junior legion, it is the address of the president to the legionaries. Can be a detailed explanation or elaboration of or about the chosen excerpt read from their book.

 _Salamat po ng marami._ Can be translated to 'Thank you very much'.

 _Po and Opo._ Filipino words used to show respect to one's elders. The _po_ is usually affixed to the end of sentences or phrases when one is addressing someone older than him/her. _Opo_ is an affirmative response (Yes _po_ ).

Kikiam, fishballs, squidballs. Common street food in the Philippines. Cooked in to-go carts, with choices of sweet or spicy sauce, and plain or spicy vinegar.

 _Tagalog._ National language of the Philippines.

 _Kamusta._ _Kumusta_. To ask how one is doing. " _Kamusta ka_? (Singular)/ _Kamusta kayo?_ (Plural)" is "How are you?" for friends, same age or younger than you; " _Kamusta ka na po?_ (Singular)/ _Kamusta na po kayo?_ (Singular and Plural)" is "How are you?" in a polite version for older people.

 **A/N:** Happy Holidays everyone! Until next time! (Still not sure when though)

And to:

 **Sui**

 _Maraming salamat kababyan! Ano nga kaya? Kaya nakakatuwa din yung_ character _ni Jumin, ang dam niyang pang-araw-araw na bagay na di alam. Sige, tatandaan ko yang_ suggestion _mo tungkol sa pamamalengke, panigurado magulo yon! Sana na-_ enjoy _mo din ito!_

 **Kurama 2004**

It may be late but congratulations on your exams, and to your cousin! I hope you liked this update, despite it being late.

 **WelcomeToTheLoser'sClub**

I hope you somehow remembered at least, thanks!

 _Salamat po!_


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Hey guys. I apologize for not uploading in so long. There had been difficulties that I had to face for the past few months, and am still in the process of getting up again. Unfortunately, those mishaps included a case of writer's block. But as I said earlier, I will continue the story. It might take a while, but I aim to see its completion as well.

I would like to thank those who read, reread, followed, favored and reviewed the story, despite my absence. It is really comforting to know that there are people looking forward to this story.

Happy April Fool's Day and Happy Easter, everyone!

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe. 

* * *

_**Chapter 18: In which some preparations are made**_

* * *

Yoosung just made it through the main door when the rain started pouring.

Jaehee looked over from her perch on one of the armchairs, "Yoosung. You are quite lucky to not have ended up walking through the rain." She stood up and walked over to him to get some of the bags off of his hands.

"Yeah. Thanks Jaehee." The blonde took off his shoes and followed the brunette to the living room, where they set the drinks down. He handed Jumin the affogato as Jaehee gave V his flat white. The blonde looked up, seeing only Seven's bright hair, as his face was hidden by the computer screen. He was slowly nodding to a rhythm that only he can hear through his headphones.

"I'll take this up to Seven. He seems occupied." Yoosung said as he grabbed the chocolate-excess caffe mocha. He made his way upstairs and to the loft. The blonde sat the cup down at the desk, a distance away from the computers, and peaked over the hacker's shoulder. "Seven, I brought you the drink since you're so busy with—"

Yoosung scowled.

He thumped Seven on the back of the head.

"Hey, ow!" the ginger yanked his headphones off and glared at the intruder. He blinked at Yoosung's frowning face. "Oh, you're back! Where's my—ah, there it is!" he giddily grabbed the cup and stuck the straw in. "You even brought it up! You sure are working up to your reputation as our delivery guy." Seven greedily sipped at his drink.

Yoosung kicked at his chair hard. "Damn it, Seven! I thought you were busy doing actual work because you looked so serious." He crossed his arms, "You're just watching YouTube videos!"

"I'm informing myself of the current trends in social media here!" Seven waved his arms about to keep the revolving chair from toppling. "Don't do that! You'll spill my precious drink!"

Yoosung scoffed and kicked once more, "'Informing'? I think 'entertaining' seems more like it. And that's worth three hundred, by the way." The blonde held his hand out.

"Yeah, yeah." The hacker reached to his pocket to get some cash and slapped it on the blonde's hands. "There you go, you cheapskates." He turned back to the screen. "And I am busy," he opened tabs showing different sites, programs and download progresses. "See? This is for the other information that I'm still browsing through, I'm also downloading additional programs that will help the data process faster. And this is a GPS locator that is similar to what I have at home. And this one is a program that can allow me to connect to this world's various satellite devices. That one is my personal software designed to—and you're not listening."

"Nope." Yoosung grinned cheekily as he patted the money. "Thanks for the hundred and fifty peso tip!" he turned to the set of drawers to get more comfortable clothes.

Seven frowned, "Hundred and fifty—" he gasped. "That was dirty, Yoosung!" Then he nodded his head in approval and called out, "You are learning! I have taught you well."

"You so did not!"

"What a bunch of kids." Jaehee sighed. "Will somebody wake Zen up? His drink will get ruined if not consumed immediately."

Seven grabbed at his phone. "On it, ma'am." He tapped at his phone screen and brought the device to his ear, "Meow~ meow~ Wakey-wakey, Zenny-dearest! Our delivery guy has returned with your sissy drink! Up and at 'em my knight in shining armor~"

"I am not your delivery guy!"

The door to the second bedroom slammed open, and a fuming Zen came out. "For heaven's sake, Seven. I did not need that wake-up call!" he rubbed at his face. "And you can't call my low-fat caffe latte a sissy drink when your caffe mocha is more chocolate than coffee, you twit."

"You guys are so mean." Seven slurped at his choco—coffee.

"Us? Mean? Seriously?!" Zen and Yoosung chorused.

Jaehee rubbed at her temples, "Just get down here and leave Luciel to his devices."

Zen hit Seven at the back of the head, "Now I'm satisfied." He made his way downstairs.

Yoosung was about to follow him when the hacker grabbed at his collar. "Not so fast, little brother!" he pulled him down to another roller chair in front of the second computer set. "There are files and documents there that I want you to go through," Seven held his hand up when Yoosung opened his mouth, "And no, you don't get to refuse because M.C. said to call you if I need help…so meow~ meow~ Yoosung, God Seven summons you and requires your assistance!" the ginger opened M.C.'s messages and shoved the phone at the student's face.

He then _evil-laughed._ And _meowed_.

"This is a nightmare."

Jumin clicked at his tongue, "Okay, Luciel is officially on a chocolate-ban."

Seven gasped. "NO!" he leaned over the desk and called out, "Noona! Tell them not to be so mean to me!"

Jaehee took a huge gulp of her cappuccino. Her brow ticked.

"Finish your drink before Jaehee throws it down the drain, Luciel." V pinched at the bridge of his nose. "And no cookies until your deemed sane for it."

At the threat of no chocolate-chip cookies, God Seven calmed.

At least to a certain degree.

When Seven showed no signs of bursting out anytime soon, Yoosung took it as sign that he can answer his questions seriously now. "What do I need to do with these?"

The hacker removed one earpad and leaned sideways as he continued to type. "Sorry?"

"I asked what you would have me do with these folders."

"Right, okay." Seven—eyes looking to-and-from from the two available screens—took a sip of his drink, mumbled under his breath, then spoke up again, "Go to 'Documents', then look for a folder named 'RFACI-PI'. You'll see there numerous folders. Browse through all of it, and if you encounter any file with '20**TP' at the beginning of its file name, copy them to a separate folder on the desktop. Do it separately though. If you found it in a folder with your name on it, copy it to the desktop in a folder with your name on it also."

Yoosung squinted at the screen. "Oh, okay then." He scratched lightly at his head, "Can I use the search button?"

"You can, but you still have to filter through the item that will appear." The hacker pushed his glasses back. "You must copy files that has '20**TP' at the beginning of its file name only."

The blonde went to the said folders, only to frown after opening 'RFACI-PI', "Seven."

"Uh?" the ginger mumbled incoherently, typing incessantly at the keyboard.

"Is 'Mr. Gulladorkable' supposed to be me?" Yoosung gave a nasty side-look at the hacker.

Seven blinked, and finally took his eyes off of his screens for a moment to look at the blonde's. He gave a short laugh before turning back to his own computer. "Yeah. You're smart enough, Yoosung. You can file it under other names if you want. Just make it so that I can understand, okay?"

 _Oh, I'll make it so that you get it just as well._ Yoosung internally huffed as he began sorting through the files.

A few minutes of relative silence and V started the conversation again, "How was your visit to the café, Yoosung?"

 _Copying 43 items from 'Awsum God 707' to '707 the Menace',_ "It went okay." The blonde replied as he copied the files. "I asked about the job, and they gave me an application form and a list of requirements. Just basic IDs and all. I'll try to come back this week. The people are pleasant too!"

"And their coffee is fantastic, by the way." Zen commented from his place on the couch.

Jaehee took another sip of her drink as she typed on her laptop. "I second that."

"That's good then. I hope you get the job, Yoosung. Luciel mentioned looking for a fake ID guy earlier," the photographer mentioned as he browsed through his camera.

"The files that you are currently working on are the ones that I will take to my fake ID guy. So don't mess it up." The hacker said. He pressed at the keyboard and mumbled in what Yoosung thought was Arabic. The blonde looked at him, "A fake ID guy? Isn't that illegal?"

Seven shook his head as he clicked his tongue multiple times. "Gulladorkable little Yoosung—"

"Don't call me that."

"—the fact that we are here in M.C.'s world without any legal documents is already against the law of the government and the universe." He sniffed. "What's a fake ID compared to that, right?"

The college student deflated at that, "Yeah, okay. I get your point."

Seven snorted. "Smart boy." He craned his neck from side to side before continuing, eyes never leaving his screens, "I plan to head to my fake ID guy as soon as possible."

Yoosung blinked, "You already found someone? That was quick."

"Yup. His name's Roberto."

"And how did you find this Roberto person? Are you sure he's safe?" Jaehee asked skeptically.

Seven lazily waved a hand. "Hacker's secret. He's…seventy-eight percent safe." The ginger sipped at his drink noisily.

"You cannot actually blame Jaehee for worrying. I mean, this is classified and personal information that you're going to hand to a complete stranger."

"His name is Roberto! Be more polite, will you?" Seven pouted, now looking at his companions. "And I work with these kind of people. It's professional business. Aside from his otherwise illegal business, he seems to be a pretty decent guy."

Yoosung snorted. "And you can tell how?"

"He has a cat!"

"Seriously, Luciel." V gave him a pointed look.

Seven sighed. "Of course I checked him first. He's as safe as a fake ID guy can get, because he only produces a hard copy of whatever soft copy is given to him, and nothing else. Dude has a wife, two kids, _and a cat._ The business pays for their everyday needs—thus, seventy-eight percent safe."

"And the twenty-two percent?"

"He's a fake ID guy, a pretty nasty drunk, and cusses like nobody's business. But only if you get on his bad side." The hacker crossed his arms, "See? I did my homework."

Zen shook his head, "And you know all of this about him, how exactly?"

"Hacker's secret, bro." Seven adjusted his glasses, "And everything is practically on the internet these days."

The blonde blinked owlishly at him. "Wow Seven! All that, in the time that I was gone? That's dangerously impressive."

V nodded slowly. "Alright. We'll trust you with this one, since you seem to know what you are doing."

"Roger that. I already have his address and am checking with M.C. how to get there." Seven frowned at his phone, "If only she will send me a reply already. What's taking her so long?" he frowned as he sipped at his drink again.

Yoosung squinted at the screen, picking at the filenames. "This is making me dizzy," he mumbled before speaking a bit louder, "And M.C. is with her friends. Stop acting like a jealous boyfriend."

"I'm not jealous!"

"And you're not her boyfriend either." Jumin quipped.

Seven looked over at him. "Well so are you, Mr. Han. Now shush, I'm working." He frowned at his phone before going back to the screens.

They were quiet for a while, each absorbed in their own activities, when Seven's phone rang. The hacker took his headphones off and answered the call in loudspeaker, eyes trained on the screen, "Talk to me."

" _What's with the seventeen messages and ten missed calls? You're not in jail, are you?"_

Yoosung chortled. Seven plugged his screen off. "Hey!" the blonde kicked his chair before going under the desk to plug his screen back on, "Clingy much." he ridiculed.

"Buzz off, Yoosung. And how are the friends, M.C.?" Seven opened a drawer beside the desk and reached inside to pull a pair of glasses out. He handed them to the blonde.

" _We just finished a movie and am about to start with another one. What do you need?_ "

"Roberto's workshop is at C.M. Recto Avenue. Mind telling me how to get there?"

" _This is for the fake ID thing, right? Okay, hold on,"_ some shuffling, " _You remember the basilica we passed by a few nights ago? When we came from KFC to go to the house? Recto is a walking distance from there._ "

"Basilica…" Seven narrowed his eyes as he typed. Then he snapped his fingers, "Ah, yes. I remember." He can remember passing by a baroque-styled basilica that night. Though that was nowhere near where they are at the moment. "So it's quite a distance from here then. Should I call for an Uber car service?"

" _I wouldn't recommend it actually. Recto is a complicated place to be at. I bet Roberto's wouldn't be the only fake ID expert there._ "

Yoosung paused in his sorting, "You mean there are more of those types of businesses at that location? And they aren't getting arrested for it or something?"

" _Yes. Lots of people actually come there to get a lot of fake documents done. So you can imagine how going there by car can get you attention. Nobody actually gets arrested because the fake documents don't actually make it to the big cases._ "

"Yeah, okay. What do you suggest then?"

" _Hold on, I'm thinking._ " They heard incoherent noises. " _Okay. Ride an Uber car that will drop you off at LRT 1, Roosevelt station. That's the last station on one end, so you wouldn't worry about getting on the wrong train. Get off at Doroteo Jose station and Recto is a short walk from there. I can't tell you the specific destination since I haven't been to that store specifically._ "

"That's alright. I'll just search for it in the maps. At least we know how to get there now."

"You just said 'we'," Yoosung eyed him wearily. He balked at the mischievous look that took over Seven's face. "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes."

" _You're bringing Yoosung with you?_ "

"Yup."

Before Yoosung can oppose, M.C. spoke up. " _Well…I think it is better if you take someone along. I'd go with you, but I have work. Yoosung, are you there? You don't mind coming with him?_ "

The blonde looked at the phone, then at Seven's grinning face. He snarled at him and sighed, "Yeah, I'll go with him, M.C., if it will ease off your worry."

"We'll manage fine. This is God Seven you're talking to."

" _Whatever. Just always be alert. Less goofing off, and try not to look too stupid._ "

"I am so feeling the love right now." The ginger deadpanned as he typed.

" _I'm serious, Seven. The place isn't exactly a park. Just bring what you need, and nothing more. Keep your phones. Wear a hat to hide your hair, even. And don't wear anything flashy. And—_ "

"I know what to do, dearest." The hacker assured her. "Don't worry, I'll handle this. Thanks for telling me the address. Go back to your friends now, wouldn't want you to beat me up for missing the movie."

" _Call me tomorrow when you're about to leave. Be careful."_

"Sure, sweetheart. Have fun and try not to think about me too much, okay?"

" _Idiot._ " She hung up.

Seven laughed and turned to Yoosung, who was raising his eyebrow at him, "What?"

"I didn't know that I was coming with you. You didn't even ask!"

"Oh? Well…too late. You already said yes, and you wouldn't want to worry M.C. now, would you?"

The blonde gave him an unimpressed look, "You're unbelievable." He sighed as he turned back to the screen.

While the phone conversation went on upstairs, the quartet remained engrossed in their own undertakings.

V stood up from his place at the armchair and stretched, "I am going out for a while."

"'Going out' better not mean an overseas trip and go MIA again," Jumin eyed him critically.

The photographer snorted softly as he packed his camera, "No legal documents, remember? I'm just going to walk around and see if I can take a few shots."

"If you say so. Do come back in one piece."

"Your immense concern warms my heart."

Zen shook his head at them, "You two really understand each other huh?" he got up too and stretched. "I'll come with, V. I feel like taking a run within the vicinity, the rain has lighten up anyway."

"Perfect. I can take shots of you to sell on the internet."

Jaehee's eyes sparkled.

The actor eyed their leader weirdly, "You are joking…right?"

V just gave off a sly smile, "Of course."

Zen changed into his working out clothes, and they headed off not too long after that. Leaving Jaehee and Jumin typing at their own laptops.

"Mr. Han, may I ask what you are occupied with at the moment?"

Jumin frowned at his screen, "I am currently looking into the equivalent of C&R International, and I am not impressed. Google is hardly giving me any useful results."

"You want me to look more into it?" Seven asked from the loft. "I searched for it earlier, and the company C&R Tech, Co., Ltd. Is mostly focused on company research and engineering technologies. Seems like only the name is derived, but not the services." He supplied.

The heir nodded, "No wonder I could not find much information, as it is not as internationally widespread as father's company." He sighed. "No need to look more into it, I am no longer interested. Just focus on the more important matters right now."

Seven hummed as he resumed typing. The heir set his laptop aside and reached for the latest newspaper under the coffee table.

"Assistant Kang," Jumin called out not too long after.

"Yes, Mr. Han?"

"It says here that a week-long business expo will occur, starting tomorrow."

Jaehee looked at him inquiringly, "…And I assume you would want to attend?"

"We have nothing to do at present. And it is not yet guaranteed that we will return on the eleventh day. I would like to be prepared for Project Long Run as well. Attending this convention would familiarize us with their business constituents here in the Philippines, and it wouldn't harm anyone to know more. This experience may help us back at C&R." He handed the paper to her.

The assistant read the article and slowly nodded, "It seems plausible, Mr. Han. But do you think we can pull it off? We don't have any materials prepared, and are still unfamiliar with the events here."

Jumin waved it off as he took a drink of his affogato, "We will simply attend as fresh employees, looking for new opportunities. We just have to look curious, attend various seminars, browse the booths, and start simple conversations with the right people. I am sure we would be able to pull it off. I wouldn't be able to do it alone, though."

Jaehee looked at him uncertainly, "You have something planned, don't you?"

"No. Not yet, anyway." The heir shrugged and addressed the hacker, "Luciel, can you work on our registration?"

"Already on it." Seven bit his lip as he typed and clicked. "I need a fake background on C&R Tech though."

"Make it a small family business specializing in cat-related projects."

Jaehee stared blankly at her employer, "Mr. Han. The business is called 'C&R Tech'. There's 'tech', meaning technology."

"I'm not daft. I know what 'Tech' stands for."

"Seriously doubting it."

Jumin gave her an unimpressed look.

Seven laughed, "I would love to work in such a place."

Yoosung snorted, "Of course you would."

The ravenhaired man sipped at his drink, "Luciel made a cat robot once, didn't he? There's tech there."

Jaehee sat back, "Don't tell me you had something to do with that, Mr. Han."

"Then I'm not telling you anything."

Jaehee felt a headache coming on.

"We will stick with passing C&R as a cat-related business. Between the two of us, I know we will be able to pull it off."

Jaehee sighed. Though it would make sense (little sense), as their department occasionally does such projects at times. If inquired about it, they would be able to answer easily without giving much away.

Seven giggled, "Alrighty. I'll handle the online registration. I'll give you the details tonight when I'm done."

"Yes, thank you." Jumin took his phone and typed a message before focusing on his laptop again to research more on said expo, as Jaehee did the same. 

* * *

The duo decided to walk down the street in order to familiarize themselves with the surroundings more. The place was quiet, only a few cars passing by, and hardly any people outside yet. Probably because the rain had just lightened up, and the sun was only starting to show.

"You know, I think the last time we've been alone was that time you saved me from the motorcycle accident." Zen mentioned.

V chuckled, "Ah, yes. We are usually with other people when we hang out." He paused to take a photo of the sky as he conversed with the actor, "How are you so far Zen?"

The albino shrugged as he watched V work with his camera, "Same old. I actually just got a call from the director before we got here, though I am not sure if it is for another modeling job, or an actual role."

The photographer clicked at his camera to check his shots, "Still reluctant about the modeling thing? I think you would do well in it, though."

"Yeah. I'm still unsure about it. I want to be known for my talent, not my good looks. But it's not completely off of my mind."

"Have you heard from your family?"

Zen crossed his arms as they resumed walking, "Nope. They don't seem interested, and the feeling is mutual."

"I know you've heard this from me a few times now, but maybe you could call them once in a while. They are still family, you know? Maybe they are just waiting for you."

The actor snorted. "Well, I don't think I'm ready for that yet. But who knows? Maybe when we get back, I'll be less resentful enough to call." He blinked, "You know, I have always wanted to ask how you found me in the accident. Were you on your way somewhere that day?"

V laughed sheepishly, "Funny thing about that. I was sort of following you around to take pictures, actually."

Zen looked at him confusedly, "You were stalking me?"

"Well…yeah, I guess." V shook his head when the actor looked at him weirdly, "Don't take it the wrong way though!"

The albino snorted.

"Yeah, okay. It was weird. But Rika was such a huge fan of yours, and you really are photogenic. It was quite fun…until the accident at least."

"I'll let it pass, since you did save my life that day." Zen looked towards the sky, "I hope she's happy up there. Probably throwing parties of her own, huh?" he side-glanced at the photographer, expecting to see him wistfully smiling at nothing, in memory of his lover.

He didn't expect the pained look. Zen frowned, "You okay, V?"

Their leader blinked. "Oh, sorry. I am still adjusting to my eyes. It sometimes gets…difficult to process that I can't see well as I used to." He rubbed at them lightly.

Zen looked at him curiously. _That's not what your eyes say._ "Oh. Do you want to head back?"

V shook his head. "It's fine. Let's walk a bit further."

They were silent for a few minutes, before Zen spoke up. "You do know I'm an actor right? I can pretty much tell when someone is pretending or not. I practically do it for a living."

His companion half-smiled. "I know."

"I don't want to pry and all since I respect you a lot. And I trust you, V." the actor shrugged, "I just wish you trust us back as much. There are only six of us in the RFA now—seven, counting M.C. And I don't think there is a need for any more classified information, for a small-populated group like ours."

"I understand." V stopped at his walking and gave a firm pat to Zen's shoulder. "Give me some time to sort things out. I will make sure to tell you guys everything you need to know."

The actor gave a firm nod, and they resumed their pace.

It wasn't long before they reached a small park. It was a bit unmaintained, with overgrown grasses here and there, but there were a few people lounging around, nonetheless. There were benches scattered along the path, different trees and flowering plants, and a playground off to the side. There was a fountain off to a distance, and a covered hall at the far back. A basketball court was to their left, and a small plaza to their right.

Zen began doing stretches. "I'm going to take a jog at the plaza. Where will you be at?"

"I'll just be here and there to take a few shots." V adjusted his camera, "Don't hurt yourself."

"And you try not to bump into trees." 

* * *

Back at the house…

" _There was something in the air that night_ ~"

"…Was that from ABBA you just sang?"

"You don't hear me making fun of your song preferences."

"I was just asking! And I wouldn't put it pass you to do so if you ever get the opportunity. So I won't give it to you."

"Lil' bro, I am a professional hacker. I already looked into your Stopify. Opportunity taken."

"The YouTube is quite entertaining. I could watch these videos all day. No wonder the department employees visit it secretly all the time when they think I'm not looking."

"…You know about that, Mr. Han?"

"Of course. I'm not stupid."

"Yeah…yet you only just started YouTube. You really are a caveman."

"I'll let that slide, since it's a Sunday today."

"Wow, Jaehee. You should make most of today and speak your mind!"

"I am not ready to get fired yet, thank you very much."

"Does that imply that you have something unpleasant to say?"

"…That depends on how you take it, Mr. Han."

The raven-head's phone rang then. He tapped and took the phone to his ears. "M.C.,"

" _Jumin. You called earlier?_ "

"Assistant Kang and I are going to attend a convention tomorrow, at the World Trade Center. Would you mind giving us instructions as to how to get there?"

" _I feel like a tour guide. And woah, hold up. Where is this coming from?_ "

The heir briefed her on their suddenly-formed agenda.

" _With the exception of those cat projects, it's not quite like you to come up with something spontaneously._ "

Jumin and Jaehee blinked at each other, "You know me well enough to take note of that." He commented.

" _I did my research, remember? Anyway, are you sure about this?_ "

"Taking into account that we stay here for eleven days, there are still eight remaining. Unless something extemporaneous happens, we would most likely just bore ourselves to death. I refuse to stay still and waste time doing nothing."

" _What a workaholic. And why involve Jaehee into this? This is a perfect holiday for her!_ "

"Jaehee is my assistant. I'm paying her to assist me, and assist me she must."

" _Ugh. Give her the phone, will you?_ "

Jumin frowned at being ordered to do something, but handed the phone to the brunette anyway. Jaehee raised her eyebrow in question. "She wants to talk to you."

"Hello, M.C.?"

" _Hello, Jaehee. Jumin mentioned that the both of you are going to some business expo tomorrow. Are you okay with that? Seriously, you don't have to if you don't want too._ "

The brunette smiled fondly, "It is fine, M.C. I am just glad that it will not be another cat-related project that he wants us to partake in. We are rather unoccupied at the moment, and I am rather curious of the expo myself."

The girl on the other line sighed. " _Okay, if you say so. Honestly, I wouldn't want him to go alone, but I don't want you to be forced into it either. I do think that he would need your help, and is much too proud to ask for it._ "

"Thank you for thinking of me, M.C. I appreciate it. I would not mind going to the expo with Mr. Han."

" _Okay then. Can you put the phone in loudspeaker so I can relay the instructions?_ "

Jaehee tapped at the phone and moved to the couch where Jumin is at. " _It would probably take a taxi, one train ride, and another taxi for you to get to the World Trade Center. It's located at Pasay City._ "

"That's further than where we're going to," Seven stated as he checked the online maps.

"Is that so? Should we follow those routes then?" the heir asked.

A bit more shuffling, some screaming and a " _You're such a sissy!_ " from M.C.' side of the conversation before she cleared her throat, " _Sorry about that. And…well, no. It's a Monday tomorrow, the trains are going to be a nightmare. Just take an Uber car instead and head to the destination straightaway. It might cost, but you'd rather spend money endure that ride, trust me. You have the money anyway. Though I advise you to leave early. If the expo starts at eight, please leave at five. Traffic is dreadful if you get caught up in rush hour._ "

Jumin tilted his head slightly, "But you suggested Luciel and Yoosung to take the train, though."

" _I assume the two had ridden the train before, as you have not. And unlike you, they wouldn't mind if their shirts get a wrinkle or two._ "

Seven and Yoosung snickered at Jumin's silence. The heir scowled at them.

"Uber car service, noted. And then we take the same back?" Jaehee took notes on a small paper.

" _Yes. It would take longer, but you would be more comfortable that way._ "

"Alright. Thank you, M.C. Assistant Kang and I will now prepare for tomorrow. We will contact you if something else comes up. And don't stay out too long, you have work." Jumin advised.

A snort. " _Sure, gramps. Bye._ " 

* * *

M.C. let out a sigh.

"That's the second call this day." Her friend pointed out, a sly smile on her face, "How popular. Is it an admirer?"

"Shut it, Marisol. No boyfriend, remember?" M.C. frowned as she nudged the girl with her knee, "Move over. And sit properly."

Marisol—M.C.'s long-haired and boisterous friend that was ungracefully slouching at one end of the couch at the moment—shook her head and moved her legs to give M.C. a place to sit, "It's because you're too tough! Look, even Benjie is intimidated by you."

"That…is only half-true." The mentioned glasses-wearing guy seated at the floor chuckled and handed M.C. a pack of chips. "I think it is rather commendable that she's independent and all that."

"Thank you. See? Someone who understands." M.C. nodded at him in approval. "Just for that, I'll be nice to you for the rest of the day!" She opened the pack, grabbed a handful and passed it around, "And as far as I remember, we're all single here."

"Sorry, I'm perfectly taken." The rather big man beside M.C. retorted as he took hold of the chips.

M.C. snorted, "Yeah right. Enough with your boys, Aakil. When are you finally going to get yourself a girl?"

Aakil, as M.C. called him, hit her at the back off her head, "You rude little thing." And followed in a deep voice, "What boys are you talking about? I'm a man, I tell you!"

Benjie snorted.

Aakil narrowed his eyes at him. "That's it. I'm breaking up with you."

"As if we were even together," Benjie retorted. He followed with a laugh at Aakil's offended face.

"Burn!" Marisol guffawed.

"That was harsh Papa B!" a lanky boy, jibed as he stepped out of the bathroom, suppressing his chuckles. "Aakil is taken because he is working on being wholesome at present."

Aakil attempted to smile prettily and sat up straight, "Yes. Thank you, Christian. True friend you are." Christian sat on the other side of Aakil and hogged the chips to himself.

"You say that because you're both…"

Aakil and Christian gave Benjie deadly looks, "Finish that sentence, Benj." They said in unison.

"'…you're both happy and content with your flings!' is what I want to say." The young man smiled cheekily.

"You're lucky you're cute, Benj." Aakil rolled his eyes at him, "Being in a commitment is stupid. It makes you forget that you have friends." he continued as he munched on the chips.

Benji chuckled, "A bit bitter, don't you think?"

Christian tapped at his phone, "Are we talking about Ivan?"

M.C.'s eyes narrowed slightly at the name. Fortunately, the others were too engrossed with the chips to notice.

"Has anyone heard of him yet? I haven't seen him since their graduation a few months ago." Aakil asked.

Christian snorted, "We are in the same neighborhood, but even I haven't seen him. He's probably busy with his girlfriend."

M.C. remained silent as she played with the strands of her hair. She eyed Marisol briefly—who also turned quiet the conversation—and commented instead, "I'm sorry…who is Ivan again?"

 _That bastard._

They all laughed. Benji choked on his drink. "Is this bitterness a thing then?"

M.C. shrugged as she reached for the remote and swatted Benji with it. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I can't help that my memory is failing me."

 _Memory, please just fail me._

She had seen him just a few days ago.

M.C. wished she hadn't.

 _Enough. This is a time with friends. I have dwelled on it enough._

Benji nudged her. "Well, it's good that we're forgetting him then."

M.C. let out a snort as she browsed through the hard drive for movies.

They were silent only for a little while, before Aakil leaned in to look at Christian's phone and commented. "And what are you looking at?"

Christian shoved the phone at Aakil's face, "Here, here, here! Why don't you use it then? So nosy! _Nakakaloka._ " The lean guy scoffed at the bigger man's face.

Aakil slapped his shoulder. "I was just asking! Stop being selfish, _bakla_."

" _Medyo bastos ka din eh, no?_ "

The words thrown and actions done to each other within their group of friends may seem harsh to an onlooker, but it was a normal thing with them now.

And M.C. wouldn't have it any other way.

"What are you two fighting about now?" Ann, the owner of the house, emerged from the kitchen, a tray of cookies in her hands. She was followed by their other friend, Warren, who has a bottle of juice and plastic cups in his hands—completing their group for the day. "Probably some guy again." The latter snorted.

Christian and Aakil immediately jumped for the cookies after Ann and Warren sat the snacks down. "Such savages you two are." Marisol finally commented as she peeked at Christian's phone. Her eyes widened animatedly, "WHAT A HOTTIE!"

"Shh!" M.C. and Benjie snapped at her.

The loud female stuck her tongue out at them before looking back. Christian munched on his cookie as he opened the tab to expand the pictures further. Aakil leaned in on his other side.

"It's a recent post by _Hot Baes in the Phil_." Christian scrolled through the pictures and selected one, "The picture was taken just a few hours ago…and at Trinoma too!" Christian stomped his feet. "I like the shape of his body..."

The three huddled closer. Marisol grabbed at M.C.'s arm, "Mariel, look!"

"Not interested." she deadpanned as she reached for some juice that their friend poured. Benjie chuckled as she passed the remote to him. "This better not contain any alcohol." She looked at the drink suspiciously before taking a sip.

Warren gave her a playful look, "Not this time, Mariel. Just plain juice. Ann would kill me."

Ann laughed and went over to the three to take a peek. "Oh, is that another Korean?"

Now there's four of them hunched together looking at the picture.

"You think he's a cosplayer or something? Is that a wig?"

"I don't think so. Hair dye is a natural thing in Korea, isn't it?"

"Yeah. But the white of it doesn't look bleached. And there's no hint of black near his scalp!"

"There's no clear view of his face, damn."

M.C. blinked. "White…hair?" she gulped and peered over their heads to look at the picture.

 _Oh shit._

* * *

Zen slowed to a stop when he felt his phone vibrate. He patted the sweat off of his face with a towel as he reached for the device to answer the call. "Hello, M.C.! Missed me already?"

" _Yeah, right. Where are you right now?_ " she sounded apprehensive.

"I'm out for a jog. There's a park near the place, and—"

" _Do you see anybody taking a pictures of you right now or something?_ "

The actor blinked confusingly before looking around. "Nope. There isn't a lot of people at the moment. Just a few elderly people chatting and children playing around. Oh, and V's here too. He's taking pictures, but not of me."

" _Oh, okay. Can you come to him? I need to tell you something._ "

"Well, okay. Hold on." Zen jogged a few paces to retrieve his back before walking back to the green part of the park. It didn't take long for him to spot the photographer, and immediately headed over to where he was at.

V turned at the sound of rustling leaves, to see Zen pacing towards him. "Are you done with your jogging?"

The actor held his phone up. "Not really, but M.C. called." He pressed loudspeaker.

" _Hello? You guys there?"_

"M.C.," V addressed, "is there a problem?"

" _Well… there's a slight issue._ "

Zen and V shared looks, "What happened? Are you okay?"

" _Oh, I'm fine._ " A pause. " _There are pictures of Zen uploaded at Facebook. My friends are ogling at it right now._ "

V blinked, "Already?" The actor rubbed at the back of his neck. "I had a hunch that the girls here are quite bold. But damn, that fast?" he paused before adding, "So…do your friends like it?"

" _Get serious, Zen. I told you that the people are quick to act here, especially when there are good-looking men involved._ " She scoffed. " _And yes, my two male friends are quite happy drooling at your picture. You really made their day._ "

"I'm glad that they appreciate my beauty, at least."

"We should probably head back for the mean time then." V suggested. "We will call you back once we reach the house."

" _Yeah, okay. Sorry for ruining your outdoor time. I just want to take precautions._ "

"Don't worry about it. Thanks for the heads up, dearest. We'll get moving."

M.C. ended the call. Zen sighed dramatically as he pocketed his phone, "Seriously, this face is just too much trouble sometimes."

V took a photo of him and inspected it, "I think it's a good investment."

The actor spouted off praises about himself along the way, while the photographer continued to feed his ego and used it to his advantage.

By the time they got back, a third of his shots were filled with Zen's face.

Jaehee looked up from her work when the front door opened, "Back already?" she looked at the clock, "It's just half past five."

V kept his outdoor shoes aside and wore his indoor slippers on. "Well M.C. called, and it seems like Zen has been disclosed." He put his camera bag down at the coffee table and took a seat next to Jumin.

The heir blinked at his screen, "Disclosed? Just him?"

"Apparently. It was probably during the time that he stopped by the vending machine to get a bottle of water on our way back."

Zen shook the dirt off from his running shoes outside before removing them. He set the pair to the shelf at the foyer and got to his own slippers. "I didn't even know that a picture got taken."

Seven whistled lowly, "Five thousand four hundred reactions, three hundred eleven shares and seven hundred fifty-six comments in three hours. That is pretty impressive."

Yoosung stared at his own screen incredulously, browser open at the page same as Seven's, "Woah, Zen. It's really out there."

The actor scrambled upstairs and took a look. "Damn. I look good."

There were only three photos up, posted by the admin of the Facebook page. One was of him standing and his back turned to the camera, with his hands buried in his pockets. His face was turned to the right. The next one was a shot of him slightly bent over, pressing the buttons of the vending machine. Another was off his eyes closed, and sipping at the drink. His hair was up in a messy bun, fringe combed away from his face. And luckily, his face was not fully revealed, the red of his eyes barely seen.

 _Damn. He really does._

"You fixed our Fakebook accounts?" Zen asked, only having noticed how the two were currently logged in.

"Not entirely fixed. And I just got it done, you can go check now. It is called Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram here. The mailing is Google and Yahoo." Seven scratched at his neck, "The email and passwords are the same and—don't give me that look Jaehee, I didn't check!" he eased of their concerns, "The FDS took care of that, I just typed codes to get it through."

The rest went to Facebook and logged in at the same time.

"It's blank," V stated as he checked his account. His Facebook page contained the personal information, his present profile picture, and nothing else. It was the same for his Twitter and Instagram account. His Google and Yahoo mail were also empty of past contacts and messages.

"Yeah, only the basic information made it through the FDS. I guess it would not have been relevant anyway." The hacker stretched his limbs, "I thought that once I recover the accounts, I can probably send a message to Tom or someone from back home. But it's a blank slate." He deflated, "Sorry about that."

"No need to apologize, Seven. It was a plausible theory. We just need to come up with something else." Jumin tapped at his chin thoughtfully. "But this is quite enough for now. Your efforts are appreciated."

"Thanks, Cap!"

Zen's phone rang at that moment. "It's M.C." He answered the call and put it on loudspeaker, "Hey, we just got home. We're looking at the post right now."

" _You are? How?_ "

"Some of our social media accounts have now been retrieved, M.C." Seven said as he scrolled through the main Facebook page.

" _Already? Wow, that was quick. But anyway, you saw the page right? Five thousand reactions!_ "

Zen logged in to his own account and went to the page. His cheeks tinged with color when he read through some of the comments. "There really is no filter with these huh?"

" _Apparently not._ " They can hear the irate roughness in her tone. " _I checked the page too, and fortunately, they upload pictures of some random dude sighted for every two hours or so. The post would past in time._ " She sighed. " _I'm just worried of the MysticMessenger players out there. I don't know anyone immediate to me that plays the game, so I wouldn't be able to tell what they think. But they are probably going crazy right now._ "

"I looked into Cheritz, and tried to reach them, but all their lines are off. And their social media and emailing accounts were void of activity for almost a week now." Seven browsed through his other tabs. "I hacked into one of their emails using one of my bogus accounts, and it is filled with inquiries about what happened with the game."

A huff. " _What do we do then?_ "

They stayed silent.

The situation was just impossible, really.

" _Look, I have to go. Oh!_ " some shuffling noise, " _Maybe you can add me on Facebook now. My name is 'M.C. Morevaz' there. I'll change my privacy settings so that any activity of mine related to you guys can be kept from my timeline. It would probably better for you to change your social media names too while you are at it. I'll try to set up for a video chat later on when I get home._ "

"Roger that. Keep safe, M.C." 

* * *

" _Nakakaloka"._ Can be translated as "How crazy.", "This is driving me crazy." Or "This is crazy." It's a popular expression used in the Philippines, made famous by Philippine TV show hosts and entertainers.

 _Bakla._ In one of the Philippine dialects, the term "bakla" means "homosexual". In modern Filipino, it can mean either "effeminate man" or "homosexual". Can be translated as "gay". As expressed in this chapter, _bakla_ was used as a term of endearment between friends.

" _Medyo bastos ka din eh, no?_ ". Can be translated as, "You're a bit rude, aren't you?"

 **A/N:** I introduced M.C.'s friends, as I think they will appear in the future chapters as well. It would have been difficult to refer to them as "M.C.'s friend" and "M.C.'s other friend" and so on. I also wanted to highlight their familiarity with each other, as they play a huge part in M.C.'s character development. M.C. had a life before RFA, after all. Expect more OCs as well.

On the other note, I actually have another story planned. It's been on the back of my mind for a long time now. Though it's not related to MysticMessenger. It is Shaman King-related. I watched it when I was young, and am starting to watch it again. But I have always been fascinated by Ren Tao and Marion Phauna. Of course, that's from my younger version's view on things but it stuck up until now. I came up with this happy and light story with my friend, all AU. When I revisited our ideas, the character development and the plot we came up with was really random, cheesy and funny all the same. I doubt posting it though, since Ren and Mari together is a really random pair, and the story we came up with is a bit arbitrary as well. I just wanted opinions, since our coming up with that story for RenxMari urged me to write fanfics. Though I probably should finish this first.

Anyway, that's that.

If you guys have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to review or send me a private message, I would really appreciate it.

Take care everyone!

And to:

 **MelChuya**

 _Oy kababayan! Nakaktuwa naman na Pinoy ka din._ It's really nice to know that there are people like you looking forward to this story. It makes all the thinking, brain-squeezing and other efforts worth it. I'm honored that Outside became your favorite as well, as there are a lot of good fanfics out there. I appreciate your review very much, _lalo na at Pilipino ka din pala. Sa totoo lang, sinubukan ko sumulat ng Tagalog, kaso nahirapan ako. Mas nadalian ako sa pagsulat ng Ingles, kaya binawi ko na lang sa_ content _nung kwento._ I think the Philippines and Filipinos are interesting and beautiful in their own way, and I wanted to share that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you!

 **Sui**

 _Salamat sa pag-_ review, _kababayan! Buti natutuwa ka din sa istorya. Kasama sa_ concerns _ni M.C. ang pagiging_ settled _ng RFA sa mundo niya, at panigurado, hindi naman makukuntento sa bahay lang yung ibang miyembro. Para naman sa ibang characters, mayroon na akong naiisip na gawin, sana ay matupad ko ang mga plano para sa kanila. Subaybayan natin sa mga susunod na kabanata!_ God bless! Sayonara!

 **Kurama 2004**

Yeah, M.C. continues to surprise us all. It's both fun and difficult to write her actually. There are a lot of opportunities for her character, since she is an O.C., but I wanted to make it as so her personality and development natural. I'm glad we're knowing her along the way, and not shoving everything all at once. I think the RFA will certainly learn a lot from her, as much as she will learn from them. Thank you!

 **Sol**

Hello! Thank you so much. I am like that as well whenever I find a story interesting, so I really appreciate it that you made it known to me. And I think we both need to get our eyes checked, but then again, there are just so many fanfics out there! Thank you, and I will keep writing for you guys as well!

 **FadedPhantom**

Hello there! I'm anxious to figure out as well, I think you're pretty close though. And I'm glad you like how the members turn out as well, there are more for all of them, so I hope you look forward to it. I'm glad you enjoy the bits of Filipino I introduced too. Thank you! 

* * *

_Salamat po!_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** An update! I am so sorry it took so long. I am currently things that life is throwing at me at the moment, and have not written in so long.

I'm very thankful for those who read, reread, followed, favored and reviewed the story. I'm actually surprised that there are people who still viewed, followed and favored "Outside" despite the lack of updates. I'm very grateful for those who continue to support and look forward to the story.

This isn't quite as long as the other chapters, but I hope you will enjoy this update as well.

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** Mystic Messenger belongs to Cheritz. Any known names, ideas, characters, events, products and merchandise that you may encounter belongs to their respective owners. Really, the only thing that is mine here is the storyline. And M.C.'s character maybe.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 19: In which there was some sort of fight  
**_

* * *

 _Calling M.C. Morevaz…_

 _Beep._

"M.C.? Hey, can you hear me?"

The laptop screen opened to a video call and revealed M.C., her head resting on a propped up hand, and looking disinterestedly them.

Then her furrowed brows lifted slightly, as she sat up straight. " _Yoosung? Why are your eyes red?_ " she blinked and squinted at the screen, " _Is that Seven standing at the back? What's he doing facing the wall? And V…what—is he drunk?_ "

The hacker, who was currently situated at the corner, lifted a hand. "Hi Mama…" he mumbled, his back turned to the screen.

"Little girl, hello." The form ungracefully slouched on one of the armchairs waved at Seven's direction.

Yoosung sniffed. "Other way, V."

"Oh." The photographer lifted his other arm to wave again. His head was resting at the back of the chair, a warm pack over his face. His clothes seemed wrinkled too, making him look lousier.

" _Okay, what happened?_ "

"Honestly? I don't know. We were eating, and there was some talking, then I think we were fighting, and the vinegar got splashed around and—"

Then Zen appeared within M.C.'s sight, a thin but otherwise noticeable gash on his pale cheek. "Hey there, M.C. I hope your dinner was a pleasant one?" he asked as he handed Yoosung a box of tissues, to which the blonde gratefully accepted and started blowing on his nose.

" _What—_ "

Jumin sat on the blonde's other side, frowning at his mess. "M.C., how was your evening?" he greeted her as he wiped at his head with a towel. His hair, face and the top half of his shirt looked wet.

M.C. just looked on uncomprehendingly. Then she saw Jaehee come from the direction of the kitchen. There was a box in her hands that she was strangely keeping away from the general direction of the hacker, who was now fidgeting.

The girl scratched at her head, " _I am not understanding any of this._ "

* * *

 _Earlier…_

A few more hours of working on their individual tasks, they sat together at the dining room and ate the take out.

Jumin blinked. "What is the fake name for again?" he eased off of the food this time.

"It doesn't have to be a fake name. It can be a nickname too. Like how M.C. is known as Mariel to her family and friends, but she is M.C. to the general public." Seven explained as he helped himself with the _lechon kawali_.

"It's just a precaution she said. Just in case someone comes across our social media accounts." Zen supplied. "I still can't believe that my face is out there right now. I mean, would it just disappear once we come back?"

The director rubbed at his mouth with a napkin, "Worry about that _once_ we get back."

" _If_ we get back." The hacker mumbled.

"Don't be like that, Seven!" Yoosung exclaimed. "We'll get back somehow! Being pessimistic about it wouldn't help."

The ginger just grumbled under his breath.

"Honestly, I think there are way too many things happening right now. We may have to come up with a clearer plan for all of this." V bit his lip worriedly.

The heir nudged his barely-touched plate of food, "Eat. Nothing good will come out of an empty stomach."

V took a breath, "Yes, you're right. I apologize." He took hold of his fork and took a bite of the vegetables.

Jaehee looked at him worriedly, "Are you okay, V?" She leaned in a bit, "Is it your eyes?"

Jumin suddenly looked more alert, "Are you having problems with it?"

The photographer sighed tiredly and put a hand to his face, "It's nothing. This usually happens when I went by without the special lens for too long. I apologize for making you worry, I just need a minute. Please continue." He closed his eyes and sat still.

They looked at him silently.

"I can't believe that she…"

Seven snapped out of his inner thoughts and glanced at the blonde beside him, "What was that, Yoosung?" he sliced another piece of the pork and dipped it in the vinegar sauce.

The blonde's fists were clenched around his eating utensils, shaking slightly.

"Okay, what the hell is happening?" the actor spoke out loud and looked at V and Yoosung, "Is there something you guys want to say or what?"

"Zen, please calm down." Jaehee handed him a glass of water, to which he gulped its contents. "Please, if there is something that we must know, just say it."

V lifted his head and made to grab for his arm, "Yoosung, I don't think—"

"No! Let us do the thinking for ourselves this time!" he slammed his clenched fists on the table that caused the others to jump. "And that's Seven's arm you're grabbing on to!"

The photographer squinted his red-rimmed eyes open, only to be scolded by Jumin, "Don't. Just rest them for a while."

"Just spit it out already!" Zen exclaimed from his seat.

Seven spat out the piece of _lechon kawali_ at his plate.

They looked at him repulsively.

"What the fu—"

"Watch your mouth."

"Me? _He_ should watch _his_ mouth!"

The hacker coughed wildly, "I—ugh! I just bit on a piece of chili! Uggh! I—V, do you mind?" he yanked his arm away.

"I'm sorry—" He attempted to open his eyes again.

"Shut it, V."

Zen scowled, "He wasn't even saying anything!"

"I meant, his eyes."

Yoosung ran his hands through his hair frustratingly, "Stop apologizing! Stop it!" he scowled, "If you're not going to tell them, then I will! It's about time!"

"For the love of—just spit it out already!"

Jaehee shoved a glass of water at Seven's mouth. "Aw! Noona that hurt!"

"Oh, fuck this." Zen threw his eating utensils to his plate out of frustration as he rubbed at his temples. His fork hit the small platter that caused the vinegar sauce in it to splash around.

V took his hand back, "I just felt something wet. Is someone crying?"

The heir frowned. "No." His dish of noodles was now drenched. "But someone might." Jumin's eyes flashed dangerously.

Zen side-glanced at him, "And what do you mean by that, huh?"

"This is the most unethical meal I have ever had, and it is your fault."

"Ack! My tongue is burning, I need those cookies!"

"Not gonna happen, Luciel. Now stop flailing and just drink your water."

Yoosung's lip trembled. Not only were they ignoring him, his dinner was now also ruined. "RIKA WAS SICK!"

…

"Now that's just cruel, Yoosung."

"Wha—No! That's not what I meant!"

Jumin scowled. "And what do you mean exactly?"

The blonde sniffed, "Rika was…she was mentally ill. She suffered depression, anxiety attacks and hallucinations."

They turned quiet, flashes of disbelief across their respective features.

Jaehee shook her head, "What…?" she turned to V, "Is that true?"

V bit his lip and nodded at her dejectedly.

"Other way, V."

"Seven! Seriously, you're not helping."

"Hey, I just don't want him to look stupid!"

"She was mentally ill…how long? How long have you known about this?" Jumin looked back and forth between Yoosung and V.

The student bowed his head, tears trailing down his cheeks, "After her funeral, I…I asked my aunt and uncle about her and I had a hunch…V confirmed it."

"She told me after we started dating." The photographer opened his eyes and looked at them hollowly. "Rika didn't want anyone to know. She…she wanted to be strong on her own. And she didn't want you to worry."

Zen shook his head, "I can't believe it. She was so happy and…"

Seven remained uncharacteristically quiet.

The heir looked at his friend with a stoic expression on his face. "And you decided to keep it for yourself."

V turned to him, a somber look in his eyes. "I did. I wanted to help her, I needed to help her. She didn't want to burden anyone else, and I didn't want her to suffer alone."

"I could have…We could have helped her, V. But…" the heir shook his head.

Yoosung wiped at his eyes, "I should have known earlier. I was her—her family! And I didn't even know! I was too selfish and engrossed with my own life that she—" he sucked in a deep breath.

"No, Yoosung…that was her decision. V respected that. We…you can't fully help a person who doesn't want it." Seven finally said. He patted the blonde hesitantly at his back.

V sipped at his water. "Rika didn't want to be dependent. She…had this different view of the world that even I cannot comprehend. I tried to help her, to see through her eyes and understand her…but I didn't try hard enough. I—I thought I was enough to make her stay, but she…she left. Because I wasn't good enough, and I didn't try enough, and—"

"No!" Yoosung suddenly stood up from his seat. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself, V! Stop hurting yourself, stop blaming yourself! It's disgusting!"

"I…"

The blonde clenched his fists, "I know I haven't been the most pleasant to you, but stop it, please. I…I used to think the same, and blamed you for everything that she went through. Blamed you that she is gone now. But…that's because I was envious of what you had with her. I was frustrated with—with you because you couldn't stop her, when I was really frustrated with myself because I didn't know a damn thing!" he bowed his head, "I relied too much on you to take care of her—"

"And I should have. I know I should have. Because she chose me, and I can't live up to that." He took in a shaky breath, "I offered her everything I have, everything that I am. What…what else am I supposed to give her? I—I don't have anything else…"

Jumin's eyes widened.

He suddenly bolted from his seat and grabbed for their leader's collar furiously. "V! You…"

"Mr. Han!"

Zen and Seven stood up, "Hey!"

Yoosung ran to their side, "Jumin! What gives?"

But Jumin ignored them as he looked at V in the eyes. Gone was his stoic visage, in its place was now barely-suppressed annoyance, "She…she did this to you, didn't she?"

Zen gasped at his implication, "N-no…"

"It can't be…" Jaehee mumbled.

But V just averted his eyes away. The heir shook him, "V! Why didn't you tell me? Rika did this to you!"

"I'm sorry, Jumin. I have no excuse."

"Then at least give me some reason! I know you are smarter than that," he growled.

The photographer looked at him sadly, "I couldn't tell you…I deserved this, Jumin. She wouldn't have left if it weren't for me. I wish...I sometimes wish she didn't meet me instead. Then maybe she would still be—"

"That…that was her decision, V." the blonde spoke up quietly.

"Y-Yoosung…"

The student shook his head. "Rika…Hurting you was wrong. You don't hurt someone you love intentionally, V. I love Rika…but what she did to you, that wasn't right."

"She was confused, and hurt…"

Jumin clenched his fists tighter at V's collar, shaking him frantically. "Snap out of it! How could you be so stupid? Why would you let her do that to you?"

Jaehee placed a hand on the heirs shoulder, "Mr. Han…Jumin, that's enough."

"Let go, Assistant Kang. This is between—"

"All of us," Zen intervened, "This is between all of us, Jumin Han. No more of keeping this shit with whoever. That has to stop." He looked at V and added, "It has to. The blame, the grief, the secrets…it has to stop."

"Answer me, V!"

The actor put a hand on Jumin's arm. "Dude, just—"

When the photographer remained quiet, Jumin pulled his fist back hastily, in an effort to literally knock some sense into the injured man. But by doing so, he ended up hitting Zen—who was grabbing his arm—with his elbow instead.

Yoosung and Seven comically gasped.

"Hyun!"

The actor staggered back, and brought a hand to his cheek. "Mother of—aw!" He winced. "Gods, Mr. Trustfundkid! Do you have metallic joints or something? That—OHMIGODS I FEEL SOMETHING WET!" He paled, "PLEASE TELL ME IT'S NOT BLOOD!"

"Uhh…"

Seven snorted. "At least it's not vinegar…?" he offered.

Jumin snapped out of his red-filled vision and slowly let go of V's collar. "Zen, I apologize. I did not—"

He was silenced into shock by a splash of cold water on his face.

They all stared slack-jawed at a fuming Jaehee, who was holding a now-empty glass in front of her.

It was laughable how her expression changed when the situation dawned on her. The chief assistant gasped, the reality of what she did sinking in. "Oh, Mr. Han!" she sat the glass back down at the table and brought her hands to cover her mouth. "I-I apologize! It's just—you ruined a perfectly chiseled face!" she ended up growling and scowling at the last part. Only to catch herself again, "I—I apologize." _Oh, my precious job._

The RFA stared blankly at one another.

"That was quite…bold, Assistant Kang."

"I'm sorry Mr. Han. I panicked."

"SHIT! I'M SEROUSLY BLEEDING!"

"Jaehee, you freakin' rock. Seriously."

Munch. Munch. Munch.

"Oh Seven, no—"

"OH SEVEN, YES!" the hacker bellowed. He took in cookie after cookie from the unguarded box, "You know what we're gonna do?" his voice cracked in the end.

Jaehee crossed her arms, "You're gonna let go of that box, and talk properly, that's what."

"NO, BUT NICE TRY NOONA!" Seven ducked away from the assistant's reach, box clutched in his hands, and stuffed his mouth of chocolate cookies. "WE ARE GONNA CALL M.C. AND TALK ABOUT THIS LIKE FREAKING ADULTS, THAT'S WHAT!"

Said the guy who has chocolate and cookie crumbs smeared all over his face.

What followed that was silence, as they looked at each other.

Zen sighed, "We're a mess, aren't we?" he took a tissue and wiped at his cheek. Jumin swiped his hair away from his face and righted his already-ruined clothes to the best of his ability, "I think this is the exact reason why we stuck to communicating in the messenger instead." He eventually felt of a small shirt button resting at his elbow. That was probably what cut the actor's face. Zen glared at the accessory furiously.

V walked to the hacker, who scowled at him, "Hand it over, Luciel. The chocolate ban hasn't been lifted yet." He held his hand out for the box. Seven eventually let out a defeated sigh and begrudgingly handed the treats to him. The photographer took one out and gave it to Yoosung as he handed the rest to Jaehee, "Why don't we…clean up first? We'll finish whatever decent is left of dinner, then call M.C. afterwards."

They proceeded to cleaning themselves and the dining area, drowned in each of their own thoughts. The silence was uncomfortable and tense, but no one decided to break it, wary of another argument.

Rika was mentally ill. That was one news. What else was there?

* * *

By the end of the story, M.C. was rubbing at her temples tiredly. " _You guys…you're really something aren't you?_ " One would think by her exhausted tone that she was also there when the events took place.

Thank the gods she wasn't.

Because it probably would have ended up messier.

Seven snorted at that thought, "Is my punishment done now?" he called out. "I've been here for over an hour! I want to see M.C. too."

"Will you leave the cookies alone until tomorrow?" V asked.

"T-Tomorrow? But I ordered those in the first place! And Yoosung would probably finish them before the end of the day!"

They all took a piece and munched on it.

"Urg! Real mature all of you."

Zen scoffed. "Your fault bro. Now, will you leave the cookies alone?"

"Gah! Fine!" the hacker threw his arms in the air, "I won't have any more! I've had my fill any way."

M.C. sighed at the level of childishness being displayed in her screen. It was like watching a comedy series, minus the amusement. " _Is this how adults act in your world?_ "

"I don't know, M.C. I'm afraid I am as lost as you are." Jaehee gave a small apologetic smile at the camera before keeping the box of cookies in the refrigerator. "Alright Seven, get out of there. I hid the remaining pieces in a safe place, but you don't get to have them until tomorrow, alright?"

"Does one in the morning count as tomorrow?"

V patted at the warm pack on his face. "Tomorrow, for this agreement, will be defined as twelve hours from now."

"That long?!"

Jumin chanced a glance at the figure on the corner as we ran the towel through his hair, "Just follow the rules, Luciel, and we will have no problems."

"It's for your own good, Seven." Yoosung followed.

Zen shook his head, "I'm sorry that it has to be this way for you, dude. If only you had endured a bit more, then we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place."

"Alright! I get it! I'll leave them until tomorrow at noon. There, happy?"

"Satisfied. Now get over here, and wipe the chocolate smudges off your face."

M.C.'s brow ticked. _Oh my gods. They are seriously acting this way over chocolate chip cookies._

"Yahoo!" Seven gasped as he ran from his corner and slumped on the floor, below Yoosung, grabbing at the laptop, "Hi M.C.! Can you believe these bullies?"

The girl eyed him pityingly, " _Hi Seven. And no, you are all unbelievable._ " She shook her head. " _Though I agree on the chocolate ban._ "

"You break my heart!"

" _Stop being a wuss._ "

Zen handed Seven some tissues, "How was the hang-out with friends, dearest?" the hacker asked lightly as he wiped at his face. Okay, he may have slightly overdone that cookie thing…

M.C. was typing at her screen as she talked, " _It was fine. I just got home when you called._ "

Zen turned to her, wide-eyed, "'Just got home?' That was almost eleven!"

" _I'm completely aware of that. I know how to read time._ " She gave them a brief glare.

"At least tell me there was someone who accompanied you home." The actor ignored their snickers.

M.C. rolled her eyes, " _I don't need any of that, Zen. I can get home safe and sound by myself, thank you very much._ " She glanced at something above her laptop, " _I'll change first, okay? I won't take long._ " She stood up and disappeared from view. They leaned in closer to the screen and got a better look at what they assumed to be her room.

The wall they were seeing was painted in white. Apparently she was sitting at her bed earlier, as they can see it now. It was neat and plain, her pillows stacked at the head of the bed, and her blanket folded up at the corner. Her sheets, blankets and pillowcases were white rained with small purple dots.

That pattern, they noted, was the most feminine thing in the room.

Her bed had a wooden headboard that carried a few items. There was a reading lamp, a water bottle a pictured frame of Christ, a figure of Maria, and a few books to the side. Above her bed were framed pictures—an abstract of shapes, a sunset view over the ocean and a city scape. On the left side of her bed, they can see a peek of her drafting table, a board above it pinned with sketches, and a box at the foot of the table filled with rolled up paper. The right has a low drawer and a mint-green curtained window.

Her room was as plain as her expressions.

"Aw, come on. She really isn't giving us anything to work with." Seven squinted his eyes at the screen. "Not even a stuffed animal? An embarrassing photo? Even Yoosung's room is more expressive than this!"

The blonde blinked. "I haven't taken you in my room."

"Oh, please." Seven waved him off.

M.C. appeared then, wearing a plain white shirt and red shorts. And it was the first time of they saw her wear her hair in a ponytail. " _Alright. What do we do?_ "

"Is that really your room?"

The girl looked at the screen blankly, "No Seven, I just sneaked into my neighbor's house for fun."

Jumin laughed.

"What? It was funny."

M.C. rolled her eyes, " _Yes, it's my room. What about it?_ "

"Can you give us a tour?" Yoosung asked as he wiped his nose with a tissue.

" _And why would I do that?_ "

"You've probably seen our rooms from your game or something." Zen followed, "Satisfy our curiosity, please?" he winked at her, then winced when the muscle on his scratched cheek stretched.

The girl snorted. " _You should probably put something on that. There are cotton balls and Betadine in the bathroom. And well, I just caught a glimpse of your rooms. I mean, it's just through a phone screen."_

Seven's face filled the screen. "Oh, come on! Pretty please?" he very nearly shouted.

" _No._ "

"But—"

" _No._ "

"You must be hiding something, if that's the case." Jumin quipped from his place.

M.C.'s eyes flashed, her brows furrowed into an unpleasant frown. " _Am not. Now can we just leave it?_ "

Zen caught on quickly, flashing a mischievous grin. "Could Mr. Trustfundkid be right? I wonder what she could be hiding…"

Seven gasped. "M.C., do you have a dead body in there?"

"Or maybe a picture of her boyfriend?"

The girl inspected her fingernails. " _I don't have a boyfriend, so I don't think I can have a picture of him here. As for the dead body…_ " she let her gaze wander through their faces on her laptop screen. " _I'm looking at possibilities._ "

Sevn and Yoosung gulped. "Please don't kill us." They squeaked.

" _Oh, I'm trying not to._ " She scoffed. " _But fine, if it will get you all to shut up about it and drop it, here,_ " she murmured as she looked around. She turned back and grabbed a pillow from the stack, " _This one's my favorite pillow._ " She waved it to the screen and settled it into her lap. " _Then…_ "

 _She has a favorite pillow._ Yoosung and Seven smiled goofily. Zen smacked them both him.

" _Those above my bed are acrylic paintings that I did a few months ago._ " She explained as she looked back. " _And right—_ "

V perked up, "You paint?" he sat up straighter on the armchair and removed the pack briefly from his eyes to look. He blinked as his eyes slowly adjusted then peered at the screen.

" _Just sometimes, when I have time. I didn't study the art of it though._ " M.C. said as she adjusted the laptop.

The photographer nodded slowly, "Those are really good M.C. I had thought it was a picture."

"Your works are remarkable, M.C. Even V is fascinated." Jumin commented.

M.C. smiled as she looked wistfully at the paintings, " _Really? Wow. Thank you._ "

 _For someone who didn't study, it was remarkable._ V thought as he leaned back.

The girl turned her laptop to show them a glimpse of her drafting table. There were two additional boxes of rolled paper beside the table, and there was a shelf above filled with books, beside her bulletin board. " _That's where I draw and do school stuff, and those are my architectural plates, right there. A nightmare, really."_ She explained briefly, then adjusted the screen to the left side, " _A window there…and that's where my clothes are at,_ " she pointed to the white dresser at the other end of the room.

M.C. then turned the device one-eighty, facing the wall opposite her bed, " _That door leads to the bathroom, and that one leads to the living room…and that's my mirror and other stuff._ " The doors were painted a light mint-green, and her dresser was also in white with a black stool. There was a single bottle of perfume, a small powder container and a small chest at the base of the mirror. Other than that, it was completely bare.

"M.C.! Did you just move in or something? That drafting table is the most exciting thing in there!" Seven exclaimed. "Even I have more stuff than you do. Heck, even Zen has more beauty products than you do!"

M.C. placed the laptop to its original position as she talked, " _It's not like I need anything more._ " They can see her again, as she frowned. " _Now that's over, time for some real talk._ " She brought her knee up and leaned her knee on it.

They flushed lightly at the small glimpse of skin, "Uhm…"

The girl sighed as she looked down, " _I…I'm sorry about Rika. I don't know her like you do but…_ " she lightly shrugged as she trailed off.

Zen shook his head, "I honestly can't believe it. She was always so happy, but then again…"

" _A lot of people tend to act like that. They don't want the people around them to know._ "

Yoosung pursed his lips, "Did we—did we find out? In the game?"

" _Well…yeah, you did. Eventually. Though not in all of the routes._ " She scratched at his her head, " _It was one of the things that unraveled as the game was played. I…I hope you all somehow understood why V hid it. It was rather big. Not that I completely agree with the secret thing, but if I were him, I wouldn't know how to tell you guys._ "

V's ears pinked as she talked for him. "N-no, I…it was stupid of me to keep the secret. But…it wasn't mine to tell, at the beginning at least. I should have told you guys when we fought, but…I thought Rika and I can settle it before it got worse. Unfortunately, she…" his voice faded as he recalled.

They fell silent.

M.C. continued to look at them from her screen, " _Uhm…I'm not actually good at this consoling-thing, but I guess you would need time to think about Rika for now. Should I hang up, or—_?"

"No, M.C. We called to clarify some other things too. We'll…think about Rika later on. But for now, we need to come up with a more concrete plan on how to proceed." Jumin interjected as he unhooked the upper buttons of his outer shirt.

Seven, seeing his actions through the small tab at the bottom of the screen, bellowed. "Jumin! Are you trying to seduce M.C. or something?" he gasped, "This is so dirty..."

The heir blinked, "Is it working?"

Zen and Yoosung spat out the water they were drinking. V choked on his breath. Jaehee looked at him incredulously.

The girl was unfazed, " _Zen's picture isn't at the top of the facebook page anymore, so I guess that's good news. And—wow, seriously? 'Seven Choi'? That's the best you can come up with? And who is…_ " she commented as she scrolled through her screen.

Jaehee cleared her throat. Seven and Yoosung snickered.

"Denied, bro." Zen jibed quietly.

V smirked, "I guess that's a 'no', then?"

Jumin threw a pillow at the photographer's face and stood up. "I'm going to change." He headed to the bathroom.

" _Is Zen Ni supposed to be you, Zen? Who in the world—hey! Jumin just walked out. What happened?_ " M.C. blinked at them.

Zen laughed. "He just went to the bathroom, dearest. And what's wrong with 'Zen Ni'?"

" _It is the least bit clever, that's what. Come up with something else. And stop reacting to my photos! My friends will see it,_ " she growled. " _Jeune Kang, ohh that's cute. And then there's Veui Kim…"_ she blinked. " _Okay, you're a photographer so that's acceptable, I guess. Yoosung Kim…wow, you didn't even try._ "

The blonde rubbed at the back of his neck, "Sorry, M.C. I was too preoccupied with the files Seven wanted me to sort. But I'll change it right away!"

" _Yeah, okay. Zen, yours suck. Really._ " She hummed, " _Why don't you try 'Seon Ryu' instead? It's Korean, with your surname, and it sounds like your stage name enough. And Seven…I don't know, are you sticking with that?_ "

The hacker waved his hand mindlessly, "I'll just change it from time to time. No biggie. And I won't be adding friends anytime soon anyway."

"Seon…it does sound sexy enough. Well, if M.C. wants it, then it shall be." He took his phone to change his facebook and twitter name.

Yoosung narrowed his eyes at him, "Did you do that on purpose?"

The actor just grinned cheekily.

"Sneaky." V chuckled.

" _And then there's Marco Han. Wow, I kinda like that one. Sounds sophisticated and all._ "

"I'm glad you like it, M.C." Jumin reappeared, a new gray shirt on. He waved off Jaehee's attempt to stand up from his previous seat and instead settled down next to Seven on the floor. "It was one of the names my father wanted to give me, but he wanted a traditional Korean name in the end."

V smiled as he donned his sunglasses back, "Ah, I remember that. 'Maru' was also an option, and so was—"

Jumin cleared his throat, "Anyway," he gave a pointed look at the mint-haired man before turning back to the screen, "the registration for the business convention will be at nine in the morning tomorrow. So we will leave by six then?"

M.C. tapped at her chin, " _Yes that will do. Make sure you contact a ride earlier, okay? Leave the house at or before six. And about that…_ " she looked at the heir, " _What are you planning, exactly?_ "

"Business is a vast area, M.C. Attending this convention may provide useful information for me and Assistant Kang, things that we can utilize when we get back. We may come from different dimensions, but the way business things are ran is practically the same here."

" _Uh-huh. And?_ " she looked at him skeptically.

Jumin crossed his arms, "I will tell you when the Eleventh Day Target does not work out."

The girl pursed her lips then sighed. " _Okay, fine._ " She hugged her pillow, " _And what about your materials? Background?_ "

Seven typed at the laptop. "Already on it, M.C. Here, check this out,"

M.C. blinked at the link that she received. She clicked on the site, to reveal a business webpage. " _C &R Co…cat product trade and businesses?_" she shook her head, " _Should have expected that…_ " her expression changed from skeptical to appreciative, " _Wow, this site actually looks legit! You even have articles and stuff…_ "

The hacker grinned, "I'm a man of random BS, M.C. What else do you expect from me? And check this!" he reached behind the laptop and pulled out moderate bundles of small cards, "I even made calling cards for everyone!"

"Jumin and I searched through the FDS for our past cat projects. They are currently being printed upstairs, as we speak, along with the necessary papers." The brunette added.

"And registration has already been handled, paid for and submitted with information closest possible to our realities." Seven said as he opened the online registration for them to see. "Once the papers and other stuff are finished, Mr. Han and Assistant Kang will be ready to go!"

M.C. nodded approvingly, " _Impressive, god Seven. Truly. Your efficiency outstands me._ " She gave him a small smile. " _Thank you for your efforts. I'm junk at all those stuff, so we are definitely lucky to have someone like you right now._ "

The hacker may have hoped for compliments, but he certainly didn't expect it to come easily from her, judging by the sudden flood of color on his face, "O-Oh! Uhh…you know, god Seven is just doing his job! B-being awesome and all!" he gulped and as he rubbed at his left eye, making his glasses askew.

" _Well, you certainly made up for your chocolate incident. I'll buy you a box of those chocolate cookies that you want so much when I drop by._ " She smiled lightly.

 _A smile and a box of chocolate chip cookies for such a deed? Noted._ Seven coughed, "S-sure! No prob, M.C.!" he gulped on a glass of water from the table.

Zen shook his head, "Look at how flustered the brat is." He mumbled to the blonde.

Yoosung just sniffed, "You're just jealous, Zen."

"As if. I got to hug her, remember?"

"This isn't a competition!"

" _So Jaehee and Jumin will go to the business convention. And what about you, Yoosung? Seven? You'll go to Recto then?_ "

The blonde nodded, "Yup. I'm on my last two folders. Once I finish those later on, we will be all set as well."

"Those will include personal IDs, office IDs, licenses, permits and all the other cards that we currently have and need." Seven followed. "We will leave immediately after breakfast, and deliver our papers to the bank after we get the fake IDs."

" _And this fake ID guy is safe?_ "

"Seventy-eight percent safe because he has a family and a cat, twenty-two percent shady because of the business and his drinking habits." The RFA said in unison.

Seven sniffed dramatically, "Aw, you guys were paying attention after all."

" _Yeah…Okay, I'll just trust your judgement on that. Be careful there, okay? Just ignore the people who wants to get your attention. Be like a rock and appear ice cold._ "

"Act like Jaehee and look like Jumin, got it!"

The two mentioned glared at the hacker.

M.C. shook her head at them, " _What about you, Zen? And V? What are your plans for tomorrow?_ "

"I've taken quite a number of photos now. I will probably stay here and try to filter and edit some, and start uploading on the internet." V replied. "But if there is anything you need done, M.C., I will try my best to finish a task."

The girl looked at the ceiling in thought, " _There's nothing I've thought of so far…I will contact you if I suddenly thought of something. For the meantime, go do your thing._ "

Zen blinked. "Wow, I feel so useless now."

Seven turned to him, "Actually, there's something V and I have in mind for you to do tomorrow, Zenny."

"If it's something illegal, I'm out."

"Oh please. You haven't reached that level yet." He waved offhandedly, "I need you to buy a motorcycle and stuff."

The actor perked up, "A motorcycle? Seriously?"

" _Woah! Hey,_ " M.C. called out. " _What is the motorcycle for?_ "

"Convenient transportation, M.C. We can't rely on the expensive Uber ride all the time." The photographer explained.

" _And you think buying a motorcycle is a solution? Where will you go anyway? What will you do with it when you return? And a motorcycle can only carry up to two people—four if you are good enough and extremely lucky, but that's not the point!_ "

V bit his lip, "The return is still unpredictable, M.C. I am thinking of purchasing the house and a car for our use if…"

"… _If the Eleventh Day Target doesn't make true._ " She finished for him.

They stayed silent again.

Jaehee spoke up, "M.C…you know how the situation is. Four days in and we are still at a lost as to how and why we came to be here in the first place."

M.C. brought her knee down and settled her pillow back to the bed. She leaned in closer to the screen. " _I know. And I'm lost as much as you are. I…_ " she looked away and shook her head, " _I don't really know. I'm just honestly hoping that you will disappear as randomly as you came. But making all these preparations, getting a motorcycle, setting up a gallery, attending conferences and getting fake IDs…it would seem like we are working on you staying here rather than going back. And I—I don't know what to make of that._ "

"You want us to come back that bad." Seven commented quietly.

" _You being here, and me finding you in that dorm…I'm anxious as to what that would mean to me. Or to you._ "

"A genuine concern that is, M.C. But what we are doing is reasonable as well. These are our responses to the current and individual necessities and situations—it is not completely useless." Jumin explained. Then his eyes took on a softer expression as he took in the forlorn look on M.C.'s face as he continued, "Though I do apologize, as we seem to have overlooked the bigger picture, and was too engrossed with our individual interest regarding your dimension."

" _I—I don't know what to do,_ " the girl bowed her head, " _I don't know how to help you…I don't even know how to get you back._ " She furiously ran her fingers through her hair.

The RFA looked at each other apprehensively. Zen leaned in and called out, "Hey, M.C., stop messing up your beautiful hair and look here." They watched as the girl dropped her hands and look back to the screen. "Stop pressuring yourself into fixing this on your own, okay? You won't be able to find a solution that way. And it isn't your concern alone, alright?" the actor gave a small chuckle, "Don't be like V now."

M.C. let out a laugh, "Yeah, wouldn't want that."

The photographer smiled softly, "Zen's right, M.C. Take it from me, okay? You'll only worry us more if you keep stressing yourself out like that. We will fix this, together. Whether it's you or us that will need help with something, we will do it together."

There was something in how V speaks—whether it was his voice, his choice of words or that look in his face—that greatly affects a person. It can give you hope in the most pessimistic of situations, and comfort in the sullen atmosphere. It was one reason why he was their leader, and it was a trait that the members admired of him. They watched as M.C. let some tension off her shoulders and nodded slowly at them, "Yeah…together. Okay. Sorry…I'm still wrapping my mind around this."

"Why don't you rest for now M.C.? It is getting late, and you still have work tomorrow." Jaehee suggested. She wished she was there personally to offer the girl any form of assistance. But she will have to make do of words for now, and hoped that her sincerity got through.

The bags under M.C.'s eyes seemed more pronounce now, " _Is that okay? Do we still have something to talk about or…?_ "

Yoosung shook his head, "Its fine. We'll talk some more and tell you about it tomorrow, okay? You've had quite a day, you should get some sleep now." He smiled softly at her.

" _Well, okay then. I'll see you guys soon. Oh! Oliver will drop by tomorrow morning for the payment. And there are some bread and mixed fruit in the fridge. Also, throw the trash out tomorrow okay? There's a bin outside and—_ "

"Okay, noted! Oh, Mama. You are such a nag," Seven snickered. "Go to bed already! We'll handle this. Dream about me, okay?" he smiled at her cheekily.

M.C. rolled her eyes, " _Are you dooming me to a nightmare?_ " she scoffed, " _I'll go now then. Don't stay up too late. Good night._ " She waved before the call ended.

The RFA remained seated, staring at the home screen.

"M.C. is getting restless because of us," Jumin stated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "She should not have to be burdened because of this."

"No, she shouldn't." V answered as he patted at the warm pack on his hands. "But she's a part of RFA now. And as I said earlier, we'll be working on this together. We can't dwell on that for long."

Jaehee nodded. "Whatever we do now is concerned with M.C., since this is her world. So we should try our best to make it light for her as we can."

"That's just it, right?" Seven spoke up as he worked on the laptop once more. "Obviously, what happened with us has something to do with M.C. She didn't summon us. But I think we're here because of her. Do you get what I mean?"

"Like whether we need something from her, or she needs something from us. That's been said before." Zen replied.

The hacker nodded. "Yes. And do you guys think that can be fixed in eleven days? Less than two weeks?"

"A lot can happen in eleven days." Yoosung shrugged. "What, just a few days ago we're minding our own business in our world, and now we're here."

"I know. And the game too. But that's because we—or at least our game selves—managed to reveal a lot to M.C. And she already knew things because of her research on the game prior, even if she didn't get to play the routes." Seven scratched at his head as he opened some folders in FDS. "But…look at all of these. So much data and information…"

"M.C. knows enough. Not all, but enough, right?" Jumin asked as his eyes scanned the screen.

"She does. Heck, she probably already has even a small inkling of an idea on what she needs to do for us. Something about RFA, or Rika, or…maybe even our own personal issues, I don't know." The hacker brushed over it, not willing to dwell on the later part, and continued. "She got that out of the game. The game showed her things about us that we would probably never indulge that easily, and things what we don't even know. But…"

M.C. already knew a great deal based on the game. Even if she didn't know what their favorite color was, or what their bank accounts were. But the things she knew mattered.

She knew about V's eyes, she knew about Rika…

Eleven days for a game, okay sure. But in real life…with the current M.C.?

Aside from what she had shown so far, they don't exactly know anything about her. Not anything that mattered enough for the situation, at least.

And that's not going to work. Not if they wanted to help her and get back.

"But will M.C. reveal enough about herself for us to know what we need to do for her?" Zen brought it up for all of them. "All in less than eleven days?"

That was the question wasn't it?

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's that. I'm not sure myself when I will be able to update again, but I am intent on finishing the story. RFA and M.C. still has a lot to do after all.

I actually struggled on writing the quarrelling scene. As I think it's still too soon for an all-out intense fight, but a little aggression was due at some point too. And there's this absurdness in the RFA members that I want to bring out too. The game chats often went from humorous to serious in a day, so I want to reflect that bit of the members' characteristics. So that was hard. Every time I update, I really worry whether that will make or break the story, but I think I'm most worried about this one.

Please feel free to message or leave a review if you have any questions, suggestions or comments. I would really appreciate it.

Thank you and take care everyone!

And to:

 **Sui**

Nakakatuwa naman napansin mo yon haha. May mga fanfic kasi ako na nababasa na kadalasan AU. Tapos ang ganda nung mga character development, kahit may mga OC. Gusto ko sana nung ganon haha. Maraming salamat sa suporta!

 **FadedPhantom**

Thank you! Yes, Ivan and the rest of M.C.'s friends have a huge contribution to M.C.'s character, as she is with them most of the time. I think what's exciting about this kind of plot is that M.C. has a life before RFA, and I'm currently working on how to bring that out through the story without straying too much. There's so many things that can be done with M.C. so there's a lot to think about. Thank you so much!

 **Kurama 2004**

I'm glad you enjoyed the last one. I hope you would like this update as well. And yes, friends are fun and really important. RFA's activities will come up on the next chapters, though I'm not sure when yet. Thank you very much!

 **Siri Uchiha**

I'm glad you found it so! Whenever I read, I'm always curious as to what the culture is in the setting, or how are things done there, so I want to share mine when I write my own as well. Yes, she's a bit hostile but there's some warmth there. Thanks a lot!

* * *

 _Salamat po!_


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